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‘Extremely rare’ boil water notice in Penticton remains in place for 200 homes

City’s next update will be on Monday, Dec. 5
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The City of Penticton is asking residents south of Skaha Lake Marina is boil their water for one minute before drinking on Wednesday, Nov. 30. (File photo: Tom Zytaruk)

A boil water notice from Wednesday, Nov. 30, for more than 200 homes south of Penticton’s Skaha Lake Marina will remain in place through the weekend.

Following a water main break earlier this week at Lakeside Road and Brantford Avenue, the city issued the notice for homes on six different roads. It asks people to boil their water for at least one minute prior to using it for safety reasons.

Although the water main break has since been fixed, the notice will remain in place to allow the city to conduct tests and ensure water in the south end of Penticton is safe to drink.

“While water main breaks are not abnormal this time of year as things begin to freeze, it is extremely rare within the City of Penticton to have to issue a boil water notice,” said Len Robson, the city’s public works manager. “We did so out of an abundance of caution and in consultation with Interior Health.”

Wednesday’s failure resulted in low water pressure, leading to potential contaminants in the system.

The six roads impacted by the boil water notice include:

• Lakeside Road – all residents south of Skaha Marina to City limits

• Brantford Avenue

• Finnerty Road

• Derenzy Place

• Lakeside Court

• Smythe Drive

“Although the water main was fixed the same day, it does take some time for the water quality testing process, which is critical to ensure the water is safe to drink.”

Along with drinking purposes, residents are asked to boil their water before making infant formula and juices, cooking, brushing teeth, washing raw foods and making ice.

The city’s next update will be Monday, Dec. 5.

READ MORE: Water main repaired but 200 homes in Penticton remain on boil water notice


@lgllockhart
logan.lockhart@pentictonwesternnews.com