While a boil water notice isn’t normally good news, in Sicamous it is.
On the morning of Thursday, Aug. 2, the District of Sicamous was finally able to lift its Do Not Consume notice. With there still being high turbidity, Interior Health guidelines require a Boil Water notice be in effect.
“While the water is still cloudy and has some colour, it appears from all tests conducted from an accredited laboratory that it meets Canadian drinking water guidelines,” states the district’s Aug. 2 news release.
The release explains district water has been continuously disinfected with chlorine, and there have been no bad bacteriological sample results.
As of Aug. 2, turbidity levels, or cloudiness, were at 33 NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit). A normal turbidity level is between 0 and 1, while after the Sicamous Creek debris flow it was around 114 NTU.
The Boil Water notice applies to everyone wishing to consume the water, be it through direct consumption, making juice or coffee or brushing teeth. Until further notice, water must be brought to a rolling boil for at least one minute prior to consumption. Alternatively, residents can use bottled water.
The district will also continue to have potable water available at the civic centre, the Seniors Activity Centre and the recreation centre.
Along with issuing the Boil Water notice, the district has lifted its Mandatory Water Conservation notice for all residences but those in the Two Mile Subdivision. For Two Mile residents, the conservation notice will remain in effect until further notice.
Despite the upturn in water quality, Mayor Darrell Trouton says the community’s water system was hit hard as a result of the debris flow and the flooding, and that the district is will be looking for grants to help fund a needed upgrade.
“Our water system has been wiped out somewhat from the flood,” Trouton told the News. “Before the flood, we had good drinking water…”