By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle
Effective immediately the Town of Osoyoos in conjunction with the Interior Health Authority is issuing a precautionary Boil Water Notice. The notice applies to a wide swath of West Osoyoos but largely excludes the core area of Main Street and its vicinity (see maps below).
This is due to increased levels of turbidity in the Town’s domestic water supply system, it said.
Social media was full of comments and photos of the ‘iced tea’ looking water pouring out of taps around town.
A number of people on social media commented on how the looks like ‘iced tea’ on tap. Photo courtesy of Nathan Harper.
All individuals should be boiling water for a minimum of one minute or find a safe alternative until further notice, the town and Interior Health advise.
Water intended for drinking, washing ready-to-eat fruits and vegetables, making beverages, ice, or brushing teeth should be boiled for a minimum of one minute.
The town asks that tenants, visitors, or other building occupants be informed of the boil water notice. Interior Health has been consulted, and residents will be notified when conditions change.
Town Utilities Department staff told the Times Chronicle that the elevated turbidity in the water mains is the result of “accumulated sediment over years and years and years.”
When there is a change of flow or increased velocity in the water mains this can stir up the sediment causing the water to run brownish or in this case look like iced tea. In this case, the change in flow was caused by increased demand.
Town Utilities staff will be out flushing the water mains to remove the sediment that has accumulated.
Osoyoos gets its water from wells which is pumped directly from the source to the distribution system with it comes a small degree of turbidity, considered within safe levels, and this builds up over the years.
The staff member said flushing is an “ongoing maintenance practice” to help reduce the sediment buildup.
Areas affected by the Boil Water Notice:
Overview of the areas affected by the Boil Water Notice.
Finch Cres – Swan Cres – 74th Ave – Sandpiper – Meadowlark – Wren – Raven – Curlew – Killdeer.
Irrigation District #9 – West side of 97th (107th to Border) – 62nd (115th to 97th).
Irrigation District #8 – 150th to 92nd.
