Update on Monday at 6:30 p.m.
Due to recent flooding and road closures in the area of the Sicamous Landfill, access to the site is blocked. The site will be closed for an undetermined amount of time.
Garbage disposal bins are available for small loads of flood-damaged material and household garbage at the Sicamous dog park at 1450 Solsqua Rd. (Small load refers to pickups or small trailers.)
As of Tuesday, July 3, hours of operation will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week.
User fees will apply. The cost is $10 per cubic meter. As a reference point, a full pick-up load is approximately $20.
Residents dumping their flood damage material should keep all their receipts as this can be reimbursed under the provincial Disaster Financial Assistance program.
Commercial and/or large loads have to go to the Salmon Arm landfill located at 4290 20th Ave. S.E., in Salmon Arm. The Columbia Shuswap Regional District apologizes for any inconvenience.
For further information, contact the Sicamous Recovery Centre at 250-833-3352/3353 or the Shuswap Emergency Program at 250-833-3350.
Update on Monday, July 2 at 12:20 p.m.
The Shuswap Emergency Program is now moving from response to recovery mode concerning the flooding and debris flow.
Shuswap Emergency Program safety teams will be inspecting homes and businesses that have been affected by flooding to determine whether they are unsafe for occupancy.
An estimated 1,200 homes have been affected by flooding. Approximately 500 properties have been assessed in Electoral Area ‘E’ and the District of Sicamous.
Update at Sunday, July 1 at 12:40 p.m.
The Shuswap Emergency Program has announced that the evacuation order issued by the District of Sicamous on June 23 for all occupied residences in the Two Mile subdivision area of Sicamous has been rescinded.
Residents within the existing evacuation order area are now permitted to return to their properties, but remain on evacuation alert and must be prepared to evacuate at short notice if required.
Residents can now return to their homes on Highway 97A from the south through Grindrod. The Red Cross will be distributing ‘Return to Home’ information packages to residents at their homes.
If you require assistance to travel to your home, you’re asked to contact 250-833-3352 or 250-833-3353.
Garbage disposal in Swansea Point:
The Shuswap Emergency Program has also announced the removal of garbage disposal bins for residents of Swansea Point as of today, July 1.
Weekly garbage pickup can be arranged with Aldon/BFI Waste Services at 250-833-3059 or toll free at 1-888-547-6961. Waste bins for household garbage only are located at 1450 Solsqua Rd. in the Sicamous dog park.
Waste material generated as a result of flooding can be taken to the Salmon Arm Landfill at 4290 20th Ave. SE. Call ahead for operating hours. Keep all receipts as costs may be eligible for recovery. Commercial loads are still required to direct their materials to the Salmon Arm landfill.
For more information, contact the Sicamous Recovery Centre at 250-833-3352/3353 or the Shuswap Emergency Program at 250-833-3350 or www.sepadvisory.com.
Update at Friday, June 29 at 4:20 p.m.
Marine campers on Shuswap Lake will have to find a new pastime for a while.
Although provincial campsites in the Shuswap are open and accepting campers, marine campsites are not.
Alan Hobler with BC Parks says the boat-in sites are the ones most impacted. When they open will depend on water levels.
“It sounds like things have peaked and have started to come down a little bit,” he said Friday. “I think it will be a little while before water comes down significantly and we are able to have the beach sites open.”
Besides, he noted, boats on the lake are not a good idea for both safety and environmental reasons.
“Boats on the lake are causing a lot of erosional problems, so we’re really discouraging people from being out on the lake,” he said, adding that there’s so much debris on the water, boating is not safe.
To keep up-to-date on the state of Shuswap Lake campsites, go to the BC Parks website. Click on ‘find a park’ and then search alphabetically for marine parks such as Cinnemousun Narrows and Anstey.
Update at Friday, June 29 at 12:13 p.m.
While a Do Not Consume order remains in effect for Sicamous, the order has been downgraded to a Boil Water Advisory in surrounding areas.
All Sicamous residences that rely on the Mara water intake remain under a Do Not Consume order. This is not the case for Two Mile, however, which is on its own water system. The District of Sicamous is pumping potable water into the Two Mile reservoir. As a result, residents of Two Mile now fall under a Boil Water Advisory.
Areas outside of Sicamous that fell under the Do Not Consume order are also now under a Boil Water Advisory. This includes Swansea Point and residences along Cambie-Solsqua.
According to a June 29 news release from Interior Health and the Shuswap Emergency Program (SEP), in those areas outside of Two Mile now under a Boil Water Advisory, the risk of chemical contamination is low, but the risk of illness from ingesting the water directly remains high. Therefore, until further notice, all water that may be ingested (drinking, brushing teeth, making beverages, or used in food preparation), must first be brought to and kept at a rolling boil for one minute.
Bottled water or water from an approved safe source is also recommended.
Interior Health continues to monitor the water and asses the risk daily.
For more information, contact Interior Health at 250-833-4100.
SEP has also put out a clarification regarding residences in Two Mile that are now on Evacuation Alert. These are: properties on the north side of Mervyn Rd. and Two Mile Rd. (owned by Waterway Houseboats); properties on the south side of Cartier Rd.; Montcalm Crescent (addresses 50,51,54,58,62,70,74,78); properties along the entire length of Wolfe Street, Tecumseh Rd. and Sicamous Creek Frontage Rd.; and the entire Hwy. 97A corridor.
