WATER QUALITY FACTS
The water is pumped from Skaha Lake from one pump station. The lake is subject to normal biological processes throughout the year which can at times affect taste and odor but the water quality is stable and is considered to be good.
Currently the only water treatment is Chlorination. In 2016 the District used 1273 kgs. of chlorine to ensure the water is potable.
The District tests for Trihalomethanes (THM) as part of our water testing program. The latest results are posted on our website under Water Quality Reports and are consistently below the Canadian Drinking Water Standards.
The District has been assured on numerous occasions over the years that the effluent from the City of Penticton meets the guidelines prior to it being put into the river channel. There is no process including water filtration to remove dissolved substances such as pharmaceuticals.
The Regional District is working on a sewer system for Kaleden in order to address the issue of septic systems particularly along the lake, however, our intake extends well into the lake and is located near the bottom.
There has been no evidence of Giardiasis or Cryptosporidium in the Okanagan main stem lakes to date and the only cases reported of either of these organisms found in people that were determined to be fromwater has been from water that they consumed from other sources.
The Interior Health Authority (IHA) is the regulatory agency for the District. The IHA has set a target date of 2025 for water systems that serve a population of more than 500 people to meet the IHA current water treatment objectives. The District has reviewed several options but is considering the installation of a UV system as the most cost effective means of meeting the IHA treatment objectives. The District does not qualify for grant funding and therefore the cost of system improvements are totally borne by the users.
Michael Snair
Operations Manager