The RDEK is urging all users on the Edgewater Water System to immediately limit their water use after a debris slide impacted the community’s drinking water source.
“The RDEK is currently trucking water from Radium into the steel reservoir towers to ensure a water supply for essential water use for the community,” said RDEK Brian Funke, Engineering Services Manager. “Trucking water offers a limited supply and we currently cannot keep up with the demand. It’s critical that the community limit their water use as much as possible.”
As a result, the RDEK is asking all non-essential uses such as outdoor watering and washing of vehicles to stop immediately. Only full loads of laundry or dishes will also limit impacts, while residents are asked to take short showers and be conscious of their water use.
Heavy rain on Sunday created a small slide in the McCauley Creek watershed, which resulted in debris and mud to settle into Lake Baptiste. The RDEK sid the pipe intake that takes the water from the lake into the steel reservoirs for the Edgewater Water System is located within the affected area of the lake. As a result, the intake had to be turned off to avoid any muddy water ending up the reservoir storage.
The RDK said they will continue trucking water into the towers until conditions improve or a temporary solution is found. An investigation is underway to see if the water system intake can be re-routed to a less turbid location, but the regional district is not sure if an alternative is possible.
“In the meantime, we are asking Edgewater residents to help us sustain the water supply by using water ONLY for essential purposes.”
The Boil Water Notice issued on Tuesday remains in effect at this time due to the high turbidity in the water distribution system.
READ: RDEK places Edgewater under Boil Water Notice (June 2, 2020)
While residents in Edgewater are asked to make immediate changes, so too are those on the Windermere Water System.
Intake pumps in Lake Windermere have been turned off by the RDEK due to high turbidity levels. As a result, residents are asked to reduce water consumption immediately.
“It is important for residents on the Windermere Water System to limit water use to ensure the water in the reservoir lasts,” said the RDEK.
All of the same principles apply for residents in Windermere, as outdoor watering and washing of vehicles should immediately stop while only full dish load or laundry loads should be washed. Residents are asked to be conscious of water use and to take short showers.