Vernon to discharge reclaimed water into lake for second time in just over a year

The City of Vernon says factors out of its control have resulted in having to discharge reclaimed waste water into Okanagan Lake again.

The change in process is needed due to MacKay Reservoir, where most of the city’s reclaimed water is stored, is again nearing its maximum storage capacity elevation.

The discharge into the lake will start this month, and the city is working with the province to determine when it will end.

“Under the city’s operating certificate issued by the Ministry of Environment, the city is permitted to redirect the flow of treated reclaimed water from the Vernon Water Reclamation Centre (VWRC) directly to Okanagan Lake, via a deep lake outfall, when there are unforeseen circumstances that do not allow the city to draw down the water in MacKay Reservoir,” Christy Poirier, communications manager, said.

The reservoir was also nearing its maximum storage capacity elevation (1939 feet above sea level) in early 2020, resulting in the first lake discharge in more than 20 years.

“The city had to temporarily redirect the discharge of treated reclaimed water from the VWRC to Okanagan Lake, with the intention of using the 2020 summer irrigation program to draw down the reservoir to a more manageable level. Unfortunately, a higher than average snowpack last winter and extremely wet weather in the spring and early summer prohibited the city from operating its irrigation program to the extent anticipated,” Poirier explained.

The deep lake outfall is located 7 kilometres southwest of Kin Beach, is approximately 1.5 – 2 km’s from either shore, and is 60 metres below the water surface. The city says the reclaimed water meets all requirements of its operating certificate, and has been treated to protect the ecosystem within Okanagan Lake and its surrounding area.

“While this situation requires a change in operation for the VWRC, reclaimed water discharge is not an uncommon practice in the Okanagan Valley. Currently, communities located along Okanagan Lake (including the City of Kelowna, City of West Kelowna, District of Peachland, District of Summerland and City of Penticton) discharge the majority of their treated reclaimed water to Okanagan Lake or adjacent water courses every day,” Poirier stated.

Two decades ago, there were public protests about plans by the council of the day to use the outfall pipe, but last year, there was no major outcry.

Vernon’s water reclamation centre currently receives and treats about 13 million litres of influent every day, which is mostly domestic and commercial in nature, but also includes industrial wastewater. Following an advanced reclamation process, including the use of primary, secondary and tertiary levels of treatment, most of the reclaimed water (more than 98 per cent) is piped to MacKay Reservoir, located 10 kilometers away on Commonage Road. The rest of the reclaimed water is directed to The Rise Golf Course, where it is used for irrigation.

Reclaimed water from MacKay Reservoir is used to irrigate local golf courses, ball diamonds, soccer pitches, agricultural land used for grazing and hay production, two seed orchards, a seedling nursery and other tree plantations.

Poirier said the irrigation programs are permitted by the Ministry of Environment and allow the city to reuse valuable water resources and provide a unique service to land owners in the North Okanagan.

“The highly treated reclaimed water irrigation program has a long history in Vernon, and the city is proud of our ability to irrigate local agricultural and recreational lands while reusing this precious and irreplaceable resource,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “The city is committed to continuing the spray irrigation programs for reclaimed water and is regularly looking for opportunities to expand or adjust the program to make it even better.”

During the last four years (2017 – 2020), due to factors outside the city’s control, there has been a significant reduction in the use of reclaimed water from MacKay Reservoir. Factors include: wet weather in spring and summer; cooler temperatures; increased cloud cover; smoke from wildfires; and atypical rainfall.

To learn more about the water reclamation process in Vernon, visit the city’s website at vernon.ca/water-reclamation. A video describes the treatment process and provides an inside look at the Water Reclamation Centre.