Wind storm causes water quality issues

The City of West Kelowna, in consultation with Interior Health, has issued a Water Quality Advisory for the Pritchard-Sunnyside System due to turbidity issues in Okanagan Lake in the vicinity of the intake related to an overnight windstorm.

View a map at westkelownacity.ca/waterquality to confirm if your property is in the affected Pritchard-Sunnyside System.

Turbidity affects the performance of the chlorine disinfection process because bacteria, protozoa, viruses and other microorganisms can attach themselves to suspended particles in the turbid water. These particles can interfere with disinfection by shielding the microorganisms from the chlorine.

Under a Water Quality Advisory, children, the elderly and those with weakened immunity must use water brought to a rolling boil for one minute or more, or seek an alternative safe source, for brushing teeth, drinking, making baby formula and ice, preparing food and beverages and washing fruits and vegetables.

The bulk filling station at Shannon Lake and Asquith Roads is open to provide a safe, alternative source of drinking water from the state of the art Powers Creek Water Filtration Plant, which uses multiple methods of treatment, and which the City will replicate at the Rose Valley treatment facility when completed in 2022.

Customers are advised to be cautious when filling bottles at the station as ice will form this time of year. Bring clean bottles for filling. The tap is located on the Asquith Road side of the facility. In keeping with COVID-19 guidelines, users should not touch the station nor their faces, sanitize their hands before and after using the facility, and maintain a safe distance of two meters between themselves and others.

The City will inform residents, via its e-news service, as soon as it is able to rescind the Water Quality Advisory.

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