Maintenance to meddle with Okanagan Falls water quality

Many homes and businesses in Okanagan Falls have been given advanced notice of a water quality advisory concerning the expected presence of manganese in the system.

The advisory was issued Monday by the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen and will be in effect from Jan. 30 through Feb. 10 for the lower portion of the Okanagan Falls water system, which covers the main commercial and residential areas on the valley bottom.

The issue stems from planned maintenance on one of two wells that supply the lower zone, according to the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen, which assumed ownership of the system on Jan. 1.

The well that will continue operating has higher-than-acceptable levels of manganese, which usually isn’t a problem because the water is blended with water from the other well. But because the other well will be out of commission for maintenance, only the well with higher-than-acceptable levels of manganese will be in operation.

The RDOS noted in a press release it’s bound by the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines, which are “based on the most vulnerable/sensitive population, infants and young children.

“Exposure to manganese is based on longterm exposure, therefore, this two-week work window is considered a short-term exposure…. Residents are advised to use an alternate safe source of drinking water (i.e. bottle water) for preparing baby formula for infants and young children during this time. Note, boiling water will not remove the manganese and may increase the concentration, therefore, it is not recommended.”