Work continues on Olalla water system upgrades

PENTICTON – Olalla has a more modern and efficient water system as result of recent completion of a project to replace some of the community’s aging infrastructure.

Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen public works manager Roger Huston says work to replace several sections of water main and installation of control system components is complete except for a few defiencies that will be addressed over the next few days.

Huston says the work eliminated a lot of system leaks that were resulting in water consumption well above levels expected for a community the size of Olalla.

“We eliminated a lot of smaller main lines that were causing leakage issues,” he says, noting the infrastructure replaces was in a condition “pretty much” what was anticipated given its age.

Huston says efforts were made to ensure residents were kept informed and inconvenience kept to a minimum during the work.

The project’s $295,000 cost was fully funded through a gas tax grant.

Huston says future efforts will look at renewal of another section of the community’s water main, upgrades to the reservoir water line and installation of a back up generator.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.