Water shut down tonight - milky water explained
By Kyra Hoggan
A water shutdown Feb. 20 had some residents wondering for weeks why their water was coming out cloudy or milky, and whether it was safe to drink.
With a second shutdown scheduled for tonight between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., it stands to reasons that residents will once again be concerned, but city director of public works Chris Barlow said locals need not worry.
“What happens is, we drain a huge section of pipe to retrofit a UV filtration system ( as required by Interior Health Authority),” he said. “When the water floods back it, it gets agitated to an extreme extent, causing the air to break down into tiny little bubbles that take longer to dissipate than larger bubbles would. That’s what’s making the water appear cloudy when it comes out of the tap.”
He said there might also be some dicolouration of water, in which case, run the tap for 15 minutes and it should be running clear – if not, contact public works at 250-365-5979 or city hall at 250-365-7227.
Barlow also said the city is asking residents to limit their water usage to essentials only during the shut down, to ensure adequate water in the event it’s needed for fire fighting.
Tonight’s will be the second of three shutdowns to complete the retrofit, and Barlow said the city will be notifying residents when the third is scheduled.
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