Rose Valley Water Service Area – May 2025 Update

Date of Issue: Friday, May 30, 2025

Dear Rose Valley Water Service Area Customers,

We are reaching out to you to share what’s new since our April 29 update.

This update covers from April 30 to May 27 and includes information on:

• Council Requests Public Reports

• Rose Valley Reservoir - Source Water Improvements

• Planned maintenance: Watermain flushing program progress

• How to set up e-delivery for quarterly utility bills

Please note, this update contains information about the Rose Valley Water System. It is being sent to all subscribers as some who live outside the system, such as the Powers Creek Water System, may have family and friends in the Rose Valley Water System or wish to know more.

The Rose Valley Water System includes neighbourhoods such as Lakeview Heights, Shannon Lake/Heights/Woods and Tallus Ridge, Bartley North, Rose Valley, West Kelowna Estates, Sunnyside, South Boucherie, Green Bay, Pritchard, Boucherie Centre, the West Kelowna Business Park and a small portion of Casa Loma (Casa Palmero/Lucinde). If you are uncertain whether you live in the Rose Valley Water Service Area, please check your latest City of West Kelowna utility bill or give us a call.

Council Requests Public Reports

At the May 27 meeting, Council directed staff to prepare reports regarding the Rose Vally Water System to ensure that the City remains open, transparent and accountable to the public. The reports will cover:

• Funding reconciliation for the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant (RVWTP) Project.

• A possible second intake in fall 2025 for those who want more time to pay the optional upfront lump sum for their share of RVWTP construction rather than have it move to property taxes in 2026.

• Note: Residents who do not want to pay the lump sum do not need to take any action. The cost of the RVWTP construction will be removed from your quarterly utility bill at $37.50 per quarter and moved onto your property tax as an annual parcel tax of $181 starting in 2026 – the $181 is equal to the four quarterly amounts of $37.50, for a total of $150, plus additional interest per year of $31. To learn more, please find answers to frequently asked questions on the City’s website.

• An independent review of the Water Utility Master Plan.

• Steps to complete the new aeration system for Rose Valley Reservoir in 2025 versus 2026.

To view Council’s deliberations regarding the requested reports, please watch the May 27 webcast starting an hour and 20 minutes into the video.

We will report publicly to ratepayers, the media and the public when these reports are ready.

The next scheduled Council meeting is 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10 in Council Chambers at 3731 Old Okanagan Highway. Meetings for agendas are posted after 12 p.m. on the Friday before the next Council meeting. You may also:

• Check the Tuesday, June 10 agenda, to be posted after 12 p.m. on Friday, June 6.

• Watch the June 10 Council livestream at westkelownacity.ca/webcasts.

Rose Valley Reservoir - Source Water Improvements

Staff provided a detailed quarterly update on Rose Valley Reservoir Source Water Improvements at the May 20 Council meeting.

The City of West Kelowna is adding systems to the source water to control the amount of manganese in the water, which will address unpleasant odors and colours. The following excerpts are from the report.

Potassium permanganate dosing system update

The City is in the process of evaluating bids from firms that supply potassium permanganate systems and chemical pump skids. These systems will control the concentration of chemicals, provide a consistent flow rate, and feed the potassium permanganate into the intake pipe that transfers raw water to the treatment plant. This equipment is expected to arrive in June when it will be installed and commissioned.

The manganese analyzer has been installed and is providing hourly data to our operations staff. If dissolved manganese levels rise prior to the completion of the dosing system, like last summer, staff will dose chlorine at the plant to oxidize the manganese and allow the treatment processes at the plant to remove the manganese.

For additional information, visit OurWK.ca/rosevalleyreservoir.

Aeration update

The design for aeration improvements to the reservoir is continuing. Aeration improvements will help reduce algae and dissolved manganese levels in the reservoir, and address taste and odors in the drinking water. Taste and odor concerns are still expected to fluctuate in the long term due to natural fluctuations in source water. Design for these improvements is planned for 2025, with installation anticipated for spring 2026.

As an interim measure,  the air flow has increased in the reservoir  until the new aeration system is installed. Initial monitoring of the existing aerator, with increased air flow, shows improvements. This will continue to be monitored through the summer months.

Planned maintenance: Watermain flushing program progress

Crews are currently flushing in Zone 2 (see map – RV 02) in the West Kelowna Business Park and Boucherie Centre areas. If you live in this area, a precautionary water quality advisory is in effect due to the flushing activities.

Flushing removes settled sediment, much of which had accumulated during the years prior to the water treatment plant. Flushing moves out most sediment through hydrants, but some can potentially make its way to customers’ taps; therefore, a precautionary and isolated water quality advisory is issued for customers within that zone. An alternative source of water is available via the bulk filling station at Shannon Lake and Asquith Roads. Please bring clean bottles.

Due to the potential for settled manganese in our mains to be stirred up, we recommend that parents with infants in the Rose Valley Water Service Area not use tap water for baby formula while watermain flushing is occurring within their zone.

More information can also be found at westkelownacity.ca/flushing.

How to set up e-delivery of quarterly utility bills

With another postal strike possible, you may wish to consider e-delivery to ensure you receive bills, make payments on time, and avoid unwanted late fees or interest penalties.

Sign up at https://online.westkelownacity.ca. Once you register your account, you will receive your next utility bill in your email inbox and be able to check your bills, payments and balances online.  

After receiving your utility bill by email, you can also pay through your financial institution:

• Select West Kelowna – Utilities as the payee.

• You will need the account number from your utility bill.

• Pay the amount indicated on your bill.

• Retain payment confirmation.

• Please allow a few business days for the bank’s payment to reach us on time; once it does, your account will be updated to reflect that we’ve received your payment.

Thank you for considering e-delivery for quarterly utility billing.