Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.
The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) announced late Friday night that the Kalamalka Lake water source has been turned off effective immediately due to increased turbidity. Customers of Greater Vernon Water (GVW) will be affected by this. The RDNO said the decision to remove the Kalamalka Lake water source was based on increased turbidity at the drinking water system intake.
Vernon mayor Victor Cumming is bringing attention to a nearly $30 million grant received by Greater Vernon Water (GVW) for a planned water filtration plant on Mission Hill. In a press release, Cumming said the grant was “the lightest reported story over the last four years and not even mentioned in the (past) campaign for mayor or council.” The grant, part of the roughly $40 million needed for the plant, is the result of “nine years of pressure by local politicians and Greater Vernon Water staff,” said Cumming.
The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) is alerting customers of Greater Vernon Water (GVW) that the Kalamalka Lake water source has been turned off effective today, Wednesday, May 11. The decision was based on increased turbidity due to rain and spring run-off in the Coldstream Creek watershed. Water will be supplied from the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant until turbidity decreases in Kalamalka Lake. Customers who are not normally on the Duteau Creek water source will notice the water is much softer and has a low alkalinity and pH. This may be of interest to those customers who have in-home water treatment systems or aquariums.
