Rose Valley Water Service Area – July 2025 Update

Date of issue: Wednesday, July 23, 2025

Dear Rose Valley Water Service Area Customers,

We are reaching out to share what’s new since our last update on June 13.

This update covers from June 14 to July 22 and includes information on:

• Raw source water – Rose Valley Reservoir
• Pre-treatment of raw water source
• Treatment – Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant
• Other capital improvements
• Distribution – planned watermain flushing maintenance program
• Letter to be mailed in August about move of RVWTP costs from utility bill to parcel tax

This update primarily provides information about the Rose Valley Water Service Area, but it is being sent to all subscribers including those in the separate Powers Creek Service Area, who may wish to know more. If you are unsure of your service area, please see your utility bill or call 778-797-8850 or refer to our Water Systems map, which is available on our website.

As part of our commitment to expand communications, information and education, working together with our community, monthly water data and our 2024 Annual Water Report, which have information for both service areas, are posted on the City’s website at westkelownacity.ca/waterquality. If you have questions about the data or the report, please call 778-797-2246.

Raw source water – Rose Valley Reservoir

Our manganese monitoring from the Rose Valley Reservoir indicates elevated levels of manganese in the raw source water. As anticipated, as temperatures in the reservoir have climbed, the heat has gradually increased the levels of manganese and organics, such as algae, in the raw source water.

As this was expected, the raw source water is being pre-treated at Rose Valley Dam and further treated at the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant to provide customers with safe drinking water that meets federal and provincial guidelines. This is our goal and commitment under our best practices and is a requirement under our Permit to Operate a Water System.

Pre-treatment of raw water source

As of July 21, staff began commissioning the new sodium permanganate dosing system at Rose Valley Dam.

The system oxidizes manganese after it leaves Rose Valley Reservoir, so that it can be removed by the existing treatment processes in the plant.

Testing and commissioning will continue over the next several weeks to optimize the treatment process.

Treatment – Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant

Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant continues to be in the commissioning phase and is performing well. The plant uses coagulation, flocculation, dissolved air flotation, filtration, ultraviolet (UV) light disinfection and sodium hypochlorite to provide safe drinking water that meets provincial and federal guidelines.

Other capital improvements

Aeration system

To help deal with conditions in the raw source water, a new aeration system will be installed in Rose Valley Reservoir by late 2025, followed by testing and commissioning in 2026.

This modern aeration system will oxygenate the raw source water in the reservoir, to help in preventing manganese from dissolving, rising through the water column and entering the outflow pipe on route to the water treatment plant.

Staff have refurbished the existing aerator in the reservoir to assist in oxygenating the raw source water until the new system can be installed, tested and commissioned.

Distribution – planned watermain flushing maintenance program

The City of West Kelowna is continuing its planned flushing maintenance program to help remove settled sediment, which may include manganese, from the water mains.

Crews are currently flushing in Zone 3B (see map) of the Lakeview Heights neighbourhood. To learn more, please refer to our July 15 public service announcement.

While flushing is occurring, a precautionary water quality advisory is put into effect, but only within that specific zone. This is because flushing forces water, which may contain settled sediment, out the nearest hydrant, but there is a possibility that some of the flushed water may make its way to customers’ taps. If you notice colour/turbidity, do not drink the water and run the cold tap for several minutes until clear. If the tap water does not run clear after 10 minutes, please call us.

To help customers know more specifically where flushing will be occurring within their neighbourhood, we have made the flushing zones smaller. We are also providing scheduled flushing dates for streets within each zone. We have also improved the signs that we post at neighbourhood entrances to more clearly state that a precautionary water quality advisory is in effect, for that specific zone, for the purposes of watermain flushing only.

We will continue to issue notifications to customers and post on our social media channels when flushing ends in one area and is scheduled to move to the next. Please remain signed up to receive City news and alerts, directly to your email inbox, and encourage friends, family and neighbours to do the same. Sign up at westkelownacity.ca/subscribe. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X.

The City has completed flushing in Sunnyside/Pritchard including the South Boucherie, Sunnyside, Pritchard and Green Bay areas, West Kelowna Estates, Rose Valley, Boucherie Centre, West Kelowna Business Park and Zone 3A of Lakeview Heights. We will move to Zone 3C of Lakeview Heights and zones in Shannon Lake over the next several weeks into late summer and early fall.

High flows and velocities during irrigation season

Peak irrigation season often leads to higher flows in our water mains stirring up settled sediment and causing temporary colour/turbidity, which is more likely to occur in areas where watermains have not yet been flushed.

Hydrant uses and other factors that could temporarily discolour water

Unlike planned flushing maintenance, which we report to the public in advance, changes in velocity can occur within the distribution system from emergencies such as firefighting and water main breaks or unauthorized hydrant use. The higher flows from these activities can also stir up accumulated sediment in the pipes and cause temporary colour in households nearest to the sudden event.

We report out to the public and media on watermain breaks or permitted fire hydrant use and emergency fire response is reported through the media. We also continue to watch for unauthorized hydrant use and customers may do the same. However, if you suspect unauthorized hydrant use, please call us first so that we may investigate further.

Letter to be mailed in August about move of RVWTP costs from utility bill to parcel tax

At the July 22 Council meeting, staff confirmed that customers will receive a letter, which will be mailed at the beginning of August, to provide information on the process for transferring costs for the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant project from quarterly utility bills to an annual parcel tax, for those who have chosen Option 1, to do nothing, rather than Option 2, to prepay.

For those that have chosen Option 1 – in 2026, staff will transfer $37.50 per quarter from the Rose Valley (RV) residential water rate on utility bills to a parcel tax on annual property tax notices, starting in May 2026.

Those who have chosen Option 2 – to prepay their parcel’s share in a one-time lump sum of $2,750 –the $37.50 will be removed from their utility bills, starting in 2026, but they will not pay the annual parcel tax.

Those who may still wish to prepay their parcel’s share in a one-time lump sum of $2,750 will have a second intake opportunity from Sept. 17 to Oct. 1. The letter will provide additional information for prepayments.

This is not a new charge, and the two options are in keeping with the ratepayer-approved process for each parcel in the Rose Valley Water Local Area Service to cover the budgeted debt of $23.5 million for the Rose Valley Water Treatment Plant and connecting water transmission mains, which is to be borrowed over 25 years. The total project budget was $75 million with $41 million covered through federal and provincial government grants, $6.1 million from new development (Development Cost Charges) and $4.4 million from Rose Valley Water Reserves (pre-collected from ratepayers of the system since 2020).

If you have questions about the options, please call Utility Billing staff at 778-797-8850.