Now that the rather lengthy boil water advisory is finally over it’s a good thing that the Regional District of North Okanagan is looking at ways to better inform residents about their source of water.
Although the message got out about the advisory itself through the media, advertising, sign boards and just plain word of mouth, it was obvious that many people weren’t sure if it applied to their house or not.
The Kal Lake source serves the bulk of Vernon-Coldstream residences so it’s likely if you don’t know the source, then you’re with the majority. It would stand to reason that those on the Duteau Creek source would know they were on it due to their past history of water advisories.
However assuming people know what source they are on obviously wasn’t good enough as media outlets received many calls on the matter and it’s only natural for people who think they know what source they are on to want some kind of confirmation when it comes to a boil water advisory.
Certainly the City of Vernon and the District of Coldstream are part of the solution in informing people about their source of water, as is the media and obviously RDNO and the homeowners themselves, but better and more complete information obviously is in order.
Notices will be sent out by RDNO, the administrator of the utility, to clarify the situation and hopefully homeowners take note for next time.
It’s also wise to ensure all jurisdictions involved inform their residents as well, and have convenient website links set up, so that next time the receiver of the notice knows if it applies to them or not.
—Vernon Morning Star
