The municipality will hold public information sessions before a scheduled water system shutdown in March.
The three-day water system shutdown will begin March 3, 2017 at 7 p.m. and end by March 6 at 7 a.m.
“The work absolutely has to be done,” said Linda Tynan, chief administrative officer for Summerland. “It’s been on the radar for a long time.”
She added that the weekend chosen was based on the events schedule for the community.
Kris Johnson, director of public works for the municipality, contacted several Summerland businesses and organizations, including the Summerland Health Centre, and seniors care facilities before deciding on the March water shutdown.
He said the spring dates were chosen in order to give plenty of notice before the event.
“We were getting tight on time for the fall,” he said.
Since announcing the shutdown, the municipality has received comments and complaints about the timing and the length of the outage.
To prepare for the shutdown, the first public information session will be held in October or November.
“More information for our users will help dispel some of the disbelief and negative comments,” Tynan said.
Although the work is necessary, it will affect businesses within the community.
Erick Thompson, president of the Summerland Chamber, said public meetings over the next few months will help business owners prepare for the shutdown.
“It is too early to know the extent of the impact on local businesses as a result of this important and necessary infrastructure project,” he said. “I will be in communication with the district to ensure our members are kept informed.”
