Master Water Plan Facts.

Interesting to note that during these extraordinary water problems the only water supply that had no water advisory is the Out Back water supply from Okanagan Lake. Both the Duteau supply and the Kalamalka Lake supply experienced water quality advisories. In fact, even Kelowna is under water quality advisory due to high turbidity of Mission Creek, the largest surface water contributor to Okanagan Lake. It's effect does not affect the north end of Okanagan Lake.

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Duteau Creek water shut down

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Mission Hill water source turned off because of turbidity

• by  Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star
  
• posted Feb 16, 2015 at 11:00 AM

Greater Vernon residents are united when they turn on their taps.

On Monday, the Regional District of North Okanagan switched off the Kalamalka Lake source because of turbidity and about 55 (thousand) people are now using the Duteau Creek source.

“There is a lot of dirty water coming from Coldstream Creek and the Okanagan Basin Water Board is doing milfoil control on Kalamalka Lake too,” said Renee Clark, water quality manager, of potential sources of the turbidity.

“There are also a number of storm water intakes that go into the lake.”

Clark says it was decided to switch over to Duteau Creek treatment facility to avoid a boil water notice for Kal Lake customers.

The Mission Hill treatment plant, which treats water from Kalamalka Lake, does not have filtration.

“Filtration will cost about the same as Duteau Creek (about $20 million),” said Clark when asked why there isn’t filtration at the Mission Hill plant.

There are generally about 35,000 people served by the Mission Hill treatment plant and 20,000 by the Duteau system.

It’s not known how long the Kal Lake source will be turned off because runoff through Coldstream Creek is unpredictable.

Discussions will also be held with OBWB about milfoil control.

“We hope to get that work done in a couple of weeks,” said Clark, who says there is sufficient flow within the Duteau system to handle all customers.

Customers not generally on the Duteau Creek source may notice that the water is softer and has a low alkalinity and pH.

“This may be of interest to those customers who have in-home water treatment systems or aquariums,” said Clark.

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In the past there was no closing of the Mission Hill system just because of milfoil harvesting. It has only happened last year and this year. Why? Duteau needs support?

If Kalamalka Lake is so sensitive perhaps it would be prudent to investigate Okanagan Lake as a substitute now. Today's NTU reading in Kelowna was 0.170 in Kelowna. There is no filtration there and the water is good. The current plan of spending about $60 million on two filtration plants and using most of the expensive Duteau product on agricultural irrigation does not make economic sense.

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Water Quality Advisory Rescinded.

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Water Advisory - Coldstream Residents.

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Water interruption advisory - June 20, 2013.

 

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Notice to Greater Vernon Water Customers

Posted Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Greater Vernon Water (GVW) would like to inform customers that there is a planned shut down of the Mission Hill Water Treatment Plant (MHWTP) on Wednesday April 17, 2013 (Kalamalka Lake water source). This work is scheduled to upgrade the Computer Server for the MHWTP.

It is anticipated that the work will be completed by the morning of Thursday April 18, 2013. There are no health related affects to our customers.

Customers who are not normally receiving water from the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant will notice that the water is much softer and that the water has a low alkalinity and pH. This may be of interest to those customers who have in-home water treatment systems or aquariums.

Staff will continue to monitor water quality and will notify customers if any further change occurs.

For further information, please call 250-550-3700.

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NORD Press Release - Water use restrictions!

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Water turn off advisory - Coldstream West.

NOTICE TO COLDSTREAM RESIDENTS

The District of Coldstream will be shutting off the water in the vicinity of Okanagan College and the Kalview area in order to perform an emergency repair to a ruptured water main.

PROPERTIES AFFECTED:

(1) Clerke Road

(2) Lakeview Drive

(3) Kalview Drive

(4) Whitestone Drive

(5) Nash Drive

(6) Watson Drive

(7) Stoneridge Drive

(8) Graystone Drive

(9) Kickwillie Loop Road

(10) Varsity Drive

(11) College Drive

(12) Fitzmaurice Drive & Fitzmaurice Lane

(13) Pope Drive

WHEN: Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 8:00 a.m. until the repair is completed

The District apologizes for the inconvenience and will have the water service restored as quickly as possible.

We will issue a further notice as soon as water service is restored.

For further information please contact the District of Coldstream at 250-550-1505.

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Duteau Creek Water quality advisory rescinded!

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Water quality advisory continues - Duteau Creek.

The sad fact is that as long as the water demand exceeds the capacity of the treatment plant (160 mega liters/day) this problem will stay with us. It's an interesting principle: we treat about two thirds of our water to potable quality and then mix in a third of the water that is only chlorinated. So now the domestic customers and the agricultural crops are all using the mixed water. Anyway, it only cost us $30 million. It almost fulfills the expectation revealed here. For additional information on the Duteau treatment plant click on more.

Have faith, we'll get there some day! It will only take a few more $$$$$$$$.

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Water quality advisory continues - Duteau Creek, & Goose Lake..

A very unfortunate situation. We have spent $30 million on our new treatment plant and now we know that it is not removing all the Cryptosporidium and Giardia from the treated water. We also find that water from Goose Lake will be permanently under water advisory until September and Duteau Creek water advisory continues until further notice. Not a good outcome so far.

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Attention! -- East Kal water customers.

Note that customers of East Kalamalka Lake water source are converted to the Duteau Creek water supply as of April 29, 2011!

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Greater Vernon Water - Reduce Water Use Notice

Press Release, October 4, 2010

The Grid Road project in Coldstream must relocate a large water supply main serving our Kalamalka Lake customers. This work must be done soon to allow paving of the road before winter. Unseasonably warm weather increased the water demand to the point where the remaining raw water mains will be stressed to provide full water supply.

The utility is therefore requesting our water customers on the Kalamalka Lake system to reduce their water use, where possible, for the week starting the morning of Wednesday October 6th and ending the evening of Wednesday October 13th unless otherwise notified. This includes but is not limited to:

* Altering automatic lawn water sprinklers to a reduced irrigation period. For instance halving the automatic sprinkler period. Lawn watering is currently the largest demand on our system.
* Reducing clothes washing during the specified period of restrictions.
* Home Car Washing.
* Paved surfaces washing.

If voluntary water restrictions do not reduce the water use enough, mandatory restrictions will be put into place.

Greater Vernon Water is taking additional measures to reduce the impact of the reduced water supply, and a notification will be updated as the program progresses.

If you have any questions, please contact Greater Vernon Water at 250-550-3700

For more information:

Al Cotsworth, Utilities Manger
Greater Vernon Water, RDNO
E-mail: info@rdno.ca

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Water issues - Urgent Notice!

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Water advisory extended.

July 8, 2010
WATER CHANGE IN THE WEST COLDSTREAM AREA

Due to recent warm weather, water demands have increased significantly. Areas in the West Coldstream area that were temporarily switched to the East Kalamalka Lake intake water source from Antwerp Springs are now on Duteau Creek source. The Duteau Creek and East Kalamalka Lake are both currently rated as “FAIR” therefore a “Water Quality Advisory” is in effect as directed by the Interior Health Authority. The water quality of Duteau Creek is described as colored, very soft and low alkalinity..

The changeover took place on Thursday, July 08, 2010 and customers will remain on the Duteau water system.

Click to view the affected areas of the West Coldstream Area


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July 7, 2010
WATER CHANGE IN MIDDLETON MOUNTAIN AREA

The Regional District of North Okanagan – Greater Vernon Water (RDNO-GVW) advises that due to recent warm weather, water demands have increased significantly. Areas in the Middleton Mountain area that were temporarily switched to the Kalamalka Lake water source last fall are being returned to the Duteau Creek source which they normally received in the past. The Duteau Creek Water Quality is currently rated as “FAIR” therefore a “Water Quality Advisory” is in effect as directed by the Interior Health Authority. .

The changeover took place on Wednesday, July 07, 2010 and will remain on the Duteau water system.

Click to view the affected areas of the Middleton Mountain Area



If you have any questions, please contact Greater Vernon Water at 250-550-3700

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Water advisory -- Middleton Mountain area.

Due to the recent warm weather, water demand has increased significantly. Areas in the Middleton Mountain area that were temporarily switched to the Kalamalka Lake water source last fall are being returned to the Duteau Creek source which they normally receive. The Duteau Creek source is currently under a “Water Quality Advisory” as directed by Interior Health.

We are putting out a press release and brief radio ads to inform the public. Front line staff may receive calls from customers about this change.

Please forward this e-mail to any other front line staff I have left out.

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Water issues - Further to Cunliffe supply.

Further to my earlier story, I was assured that there was only a minor amount of Duteau water mixed in the supply line on the south end of Kidston Road and there is no need to worry. Mixing has now stopped and all water for the area will be supplied from the east Kal intake.

Commissioning of the new Duteau Creek treatment plant will begin very soon and hopefully the plant will be in full use by August-September. Once fully operational all customers presently supplied by the Cunliffe Road reservoir will be switched over to Duteau Creek water.

Gyula

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Readers Write -- Where is the map?

Anonymous said...

What would be really handy for Vernon area residents would be a map that shows who is actually served by the Duteau water system? Its fine to tell people there is a water problem, but it doesn't do any good if they don't know where it is!

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There is a map showing the area served by Kal Lake East water source that supplies a number of residents on the east side of Kal Lake (click here). Unfortunately, the reservoir on top of Cunliffe Road is inter connected with the Duteau source. I am not sure which source is supplying water to these residents at this time. My water is quite yellow so I have my own concerns. I'll find out what is happening tomorrow and post it here.

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Water Bulletin -- District of Coldstream and NORD

For information regarding procedures to flash and clean your system please click here.

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