Two-month water advisory for all Greater Vernon Water customers: regional district

It’s going to be two months of a precautionary water quality notice as Greater Vernon Water customers await a permanent fix.

All customers are on the water quality notice as the taps shift to the Duteau Creek water source. The Regional District of North Okanagan stressed that it is not a boil water notice, but the precautionary notice remains as a leak was detected at the Duteau Creek UV facility Oct. 31.

“Water is not being treated by UV, but the water is still treated by the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant,” the regional district said in a release. “This is the same process that was in place for years until the UV facility was turned on in February 2019.”

The shift to an all-encompassing precautionary notice comes due to a capital works project to improve facilities at the Kal Lake Pump House. Work to make the pump house flood-resistant will last about two months, during which time all customers who regularly receive water from Kalamalka Lake will be on to the Duteau Creek source.

"Once the permanent fix to the leak at the UV facility is implemented, the water quality notice will be rescinded,” the district said in the release. "Duteau Creek water is softer than Kalamalka Lake which may be of interest to those customers who have in-home water treatment systems or aquariums.”

The regional district said anyone seeking additional protection, such as families with infants or compromised immune systems, can boil water during the notice.

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