Rest stop reopens
New washroom facility along Okanagan Connector operating again following repairs to water system
A rest stop along the Okanagan Connector highway that had been out of commission for almost two months has reopened.
The washroom facility at the Loon Lake rest area had been closed since May 12 for repairs to the water system that supplies the flush toilets.
“Gravel and sediment entered the waterlines and are preventing the system from functioning properly,” the Ministry of Transportation said last month. At the time, the ministry predicted the washrooms would reopen sometime in July.
As of Tuesday, they were officially up and running.
“A filtration system was installed by VSA Maintenance, which will eliminate the issue of gravel and sediment from the well water entering the waterlines in the future,” the ministry said in an email Tuesday. “We will continue to test and monitor the facilities to ensure there are no issues, and porta-potties will remain on site for the short term.”
The $4.2-million rest area, located 40 kilometres southeast of Merritt, opened in February.
At the time, the ministry touted the Loon Lake rest stop as a modern, Class A facility with running water and toilets.
The Loon Lake rest stop was built to replace the visitor centre just outside Merritt, which closed permanently in January.