It will seem like deja vu for some Greater Vernon residents as their water turns yellow or brown.
A water quality advisory begins Monday for those on the Duteau Creek source as scheduled maintenance takes place at the treatment plant.
“People will experience the old Duteau water,” said Arnold Badke, engineering general manager for the Regional District of North Okanagan.
The $29 million plant, which opened last fall, was constructed to address concerns about turbidity and the colour of the water.
However, Badke says the current work can’t be avoided.
“This was in our plans. It’s part of the operations,” he said.
“It’s a brand new plant and we’re just making some adjustments.”
But the work requires the entire system to be taken offline and drained.
It’s anticipated the water quality advisory will remain in effect until June 29.
“It will be a maximum of nine days but hopefully we can get it done in seven days,” said Badke.
The actual adjustments to the system will only take about a day-and-a-half, but time is needed to shut the plant down and initiate a disinfection process.
“We need three days of bacteriological tests before we can resume the system,” said Badke.
As part of the advisory, water quality will be reduced to fair.
That means young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems should boil their water for one minute for drinking, washing fruits and vegetables, making beverages and brushing teeth.
Badke said Duteau Creek customers will be notified when conditions change or return to normal.
