Ask West Kelowna
Throughout the year, West Kelowna's water systems may be subject to Water Quality Advisories or Boil Water Notices for the health of our community. The most current information is shared on our News page. To ensure you receive up-to-date about our water systems, subscribe for e-updates.
Residents can also use our Water Services and Advisories Map or refer to your quarterly utility bill to determine if they live in the affected system.
Watermain and hydrant flushing
City of West Kelowna crews continue watermain flushing and a private contractor will be conducting hydrant flushing beginning Monday, Oct. 31 to help improve water quality and maintain our water systems as part of the annual flushing program.
Hydrant flushing involves running water at a high velocity to remove accumulated sediment from the pipe, and users may experience discoloration in the water while flushing is underway. City crew may also be conducting flushing efforts in advance or following the private hydrant flushing and discoloration may also occur. This is a normal result of the flushing process.
- Read more about the hydrant flushing.
- Read more about the watermain flushing.
Bulk filling station
A free potable water source is located at Shannon Lake and Asquith Roads. Please bring your own clean bottles for filling. The tap is on the Asquith Road side of the facility.
To learn about the City's short and long term quality improvement goals, please visit our FAQs page.
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Advisories, Notices and Orders |
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Water Quality Advisory An advisory is issued when slightly higher than normal turbidity or a greater degree of substances or organisms in water than what is normal. A Water Quality Advisory is issued for the public health of the most vulnerable populations such as newborns, infants, breastfeeding mothers, children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses and immune deficiencies. Pets may also be vulnerable. The recommendation for these populations is to use water that has been boiled rapidly for no less than one minute and allowed to cool or to find an alternative safe source for brushing teeth, drinking, making baby formula, beverages, food and ice and washing fruits and vegetables. Boil Water Notice A notice is required in situations where the public health threat is significant due to high turbidity or higher than acceptable levels of organisms or substances but where the risk can be resolved by boiling water. During a Boil Water Notice everyone, including pets, should use water that has been boiled rapidly for no less than one minute or use an alternative safe source for brushing teeth, drinking, making baby formula, beverages, food and ice and washing fruits and vegetables. Do Not Consume Order A Do Not Consume Order is issued when the water can make you sick if you consume it because chemicals, organisms or other substances in water cannot be resolved through boiling water. Everyone, pets included, must use a safe alternative source for brushing teeth, drinking, making baby formula, beverages, food and ice and washing fruits and vegetables. Do Not Use Order A Do Not Use Order means the tap should NOT be turned on for any reason. It is used in situations where a significant public health threat exists from chemicals, radiation or other public health concerns where water is a danger to human health. People must use a safe alternative source of water for all purposes including consumption, irrigation, laundry, showering/bathing, etc. What Causes Advisories, Notices and Orders? Drinking water suppliers are required to constantly monitor the system and supply samples to the health authority for testing. If monitoring and testing produce a concerning result, the supplier works with the health authority to advise customers when to implement the necessary safety precautions - an advisory, notice or order. Triggers can include:
The health officer advises the supplier when they are satisfied (through testing or other safeguards) that the water is safe to drink without boiling. The water supplier must inform all users when the advisory is lifted. A change in water colour, murkiness, smell and/or taste often indicates a problem and in such cases, customers should notify their water supplier about quality concerns. |
| Annual Reports |
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Combined Annual Water Quality Reports for all systems are published online once they become available. Historic reports are available by calling 778-797-2246. |
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Drinking Water Requirements |
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Interior Health requires water providers to have long term plans to reach the following goals: • 4 log (99.9%) inactivation of viruses • 3 log (99.9%) removal or inactivation of giardia lamblia and cryptosporidium • 2 treatment processes for all surface drinking water systems • Less than 1 NTU of turbidity with a target of 0.1 NTU • 0 total and fecal coliforms and E. Coli The City achieves these goals in the Powers Creek System and is actively working toward the construction of the new Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant to meet these objectives in the Rose Valley/Lakeview, Sunnyside/Pritchard and West Kelowna Estates Systems. |
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Helpful Links and Resources |
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Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant |
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For updates on the status of the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant, please visit the project web page. |
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Operation and Distribution Conditions |
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The Medical Health Officer for the Interior Health Authority developed 10 conditions that all water utilities within the region with more than 300 connections must meet in the operation and distribution of the public water supply:
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Permit to Operate |
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Under the Safe Drinking Water Regulation of the Health Act and the Drinking Water Protection Regulation of the Drinking Water Protection Act, all public water utilities are required to obtain a Permit to Operate from the local health authority. The regulations also allow health officials to place conditions on this operating permit that the utility must meet. For information on these permits, please call the Engineering Department at 778-797-8840. |
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