Water quality reminder for 400 Glenmore Ellison homes

KELOWNA – Residents in the area of east of Old Vernon Road are being reminded of the continuing water quality advisory for their area.

While the entire Glenmore-Ellison Improvement District system is under a water quality advisory, the 400 homes in the affected area just came off a boil water advisory last November.

“Normally, this would be a boil water advisory at this time of year,” John Bartell, manager of operations with the improvement district, explains. “We just wanted to emphasize there is still an advisory in place. They’ve been on an advisory for so long, we just wanted to make sure people are aware.”

Bartell says the homes in that area draw their water from Mill Creek, which typically has poor water quality during summer months. GEID staff are closely monitoring water quality.

A water quality advisory is the lowest level of advisory with the quality of the water considered fair because of increased turbidity. The Interior Health Authority recommends anyone over 65 or under 13 years old or people with compromised immune systems should boil their water for one minute before consuming or use an alternative such as bottled water.

The water quality advisory for the area remains in effect despite the recent installation of a new water intake on Okanagan Lake which pumps water into the McKinley reservoir.

Properties drawing water from the McKinley Landing water system are under no advisory.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.