Water systems

Falcon Ridge  

Service area map

May 8 - Water Quality Advisory for Falcon Ridge water system

Approx. # of customer connections

61

Water source

Mission Creek, Well - sodium hypo-chlorite injection disinfection

Size and number of connections

The system services approximately 60 active connections and 55 parcels in the service area.

Location

The system is located approximately 8 km east of Kelowna, BC on Hawk Road, Falcon Ridge Crescent, and Peregrine Road near Highway 33 within Joe Rich and Central Okanagan East Electoral Area.

System description

The Falcon Ridge Water System was constructed in 1989, has one reservoir and pressure zone. The water system utilizes a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which allows for remote system monitoring.  Water consumption is measured by water meters for each connection.  How to read your water meter

Treatment

The method of treatment is chlorine disinfection. The water system does not currently meet all Canadian Standard Drinking Water Guidelines; however, improvements are ongoing to meet all Interior Health objectives.

Storage

Falcon Ridge Reservoir – 550 m³ dual cell concrete reservoir.

Distribution system

The system includes approximately 3,400 metres of watermain.

Plans for future upgrades

In 2019 a second cell was added to the reservoir along with filtrations, UV and Chlorine disinfection.

Governance

The water system is owned and operated by the RDCO.

As of January 2021, we are working with Interior Health to validate some of the treatment equipment installed for the Falcon Ridge water system. This is the current status of the water quality in terms of the drinking water quality objectives. This is interim information which we will update once we are confident in our validations.

• Inactivation of viruses: Compliant
• Inactivation of Giardia: Compliant
• Inactivation of Cryptosporidium: Partial Compliant*
• 2 treatment processes: Partial Compliant*
• Less than 1 NTU: Compliant
• Zero Coliforms and E.coli: Compliant

*The RDCO is still validating the water treatment equipment and occasionally the UV Disinfection is not effective during high source water turbidity events. During this time the system would be non-compliant with regard to having two water treatment processes and the inactivation of Cryptosporidium.

Killiney Beach  

Service area map

May 25 - Boil Water Notice downgraded for Killiney Beach water system

Approx. # of customer connections

273

Water source

The Killiney Beach Water System is sourced from Okanagan Lake.

Size and number of connections

The system services approximately 293 active connections and 420 parcels in the service area.

Location

The system is located on the west side of Okanagan Lake approximately 10 km north of Fintry within Central Okanagan West Electoral Area.

System description

The Killiney Beach Water System was constructed in the late 1960s and is divided into multiple pressure zones including three reservoirs and four pump stations. The water system utilizes a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which allows for remote system monitoring. Water consumption is measured by water meters for each connection.  How to read your water meter

Treatment

The method of treatment is chlorine disinfection. The water system does not currently meet all Canadian Standard Drinking Water Guidelines; however, improvements are planned in the next few years to meet all Interior Health objectives.

The water system currently has sufficient contact time for bacteria and virus inactivation but insufficient contact time to provide 3 log inactivation of Giardia to all connections. The following table outlines the water system's current status of meeting Interior Health's Drinking Water Objectives:

• Inactivation of viruses: Compliant
• Inactivation of Giardia: Partial Compliance
• Inactivation of Cryptosporidium: Non-Complaint
• 2 Treatment Processes: Non-Compliant
• Less than 1 NTU: Compliant
• Coliforms and E. Coli: Compliant

Storage

The water system includes the following reservoirs:

• Killiney Reservoir – 76 m³ single cell concrete reservoir;
• Udell Reservoir – 76 m³ and 307 m³ concrete reservoir cells; and
• Winchester Reservoir – 340 m³ and 585 m³ concrete reservoir cells.

Distribution system

The system includes approximately 14,000 metres of PVC watermain and four pump stations.

Plans for future upgrades

UV disinfection and dedicated forcemain from the Lake Pumphouse to Udell Reservoir are planned to improve water quality.

Governance

The water system is owned and operated by the RDCO.

Dietrich/Star Place/Trepanier 

Service area map

May 24 - Boil Water Notice downgraded for Star Place water system

Approx. # of customer connections

9

Water source

The Dietrich Water System is sourced from Trepanier Creek.

Size and number of connections

The system services approximately 9 active connections and 8 parcels in the service area.

Location

The system is located on Star Place off of Trepanier Road approximately 3 km north of Peachland within Central Okanagan West Electoral Area.

System description

The Dietrich Water System was constructed in the late 1980s, has one reservoir and pressure zone. The water system utilizes a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which allows for remote system monitoring. Water consumption is measured by water meters for each connection.  How to read your water meter

Treatment

The method of treatment is filtration and chlorine disinfection. The water system does not currently meet all Canadian Standard Drinking Water Guidelines.

Storage

The water system includes the following reservoir:

• Star Place Reservoir – 19 m³ concrete reservoir cell

Distribution system

The system includes approximately 600 metres of watermain.

Plans for future upgrades

No major upgrades are planned at this time.

Governance

The water system is owned and operated by the RDCO.

Westshore Estates 

Service area map

May 2 - Water Quality Advisory for Westshore and Killiney Beach water systems

Approx. # of customer connections

303

Water source

The Westshore Estates Water System is sourced from Okanagan Lake.

Size and number of connections

The system services approximately 279 active connections and 520 parcels in the service area.

Location

The system is located on the west side of Okanagan Lake approximately 15 km north of Fintry, BC, within Central Okanagan West Electoral Area.

System description

The Westshore Estates Water System was constructed in the mid-1970s and is divided into multiple pressure zones including two reservoirs and two pump stations. The water system utilizes a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which allows for remote system monitoring. Water consumption is measured by water meters for each connection.  How to read your water meter

Treatment

The method of treatment is chlorine disinfection. The water system does not currently meet all Canadian Standard Drinking Water Guidelines; however, improvements are planned in the next few years to meet all Interior Health objectives.

The water system currently has sufficient contact time for bacteria and virus inactivation and 3 log inactivation of Giardia to all connections. The following table outlines the water system's current status of meeting Interior Health's Drinking Water Objectives:

• Inactivation of viruses : Compliant
• Inactivation of Giardia: Compliant
• Inactivation of Cryptosporidium: Non-Complaint
• 2 Treatment Processes: Non-Compliant
• Less than 1 NTU: Compliant
• Coliforms and E. Coli: Compliant

Storage

The water system includes the following reservoirs:

• Mountain Reservoir – 510 m³ dual cell concrete reservoir; and
• Upper Reservoir – 1,100 m³ dual cell concrete reservoir.

Distribution system

The system includes approximately 14,000 metres of watermain and two pump stations.

Plans for future upgrades

UV disinfection is planned to improve water quality.

Governance

The water system is owned and operated by the RDCO.

Sunset Ranch

Service area map

Approx. # of customer connections

328

Water source

The Sunset Ranch Water System is sourced from two wells.

Size and number of connections

The system services approximately 285 active connections and 275 parcels in the service area.

Location

The system is located approximately 2 km east of the Kelowna International Airport and within Central Okanagan East Electoral Area.

System description

The Sunset Ranch Water System was constructed in stages beginning in 2002, has one reservoir and multiple pressure zones. The water system utilizes a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which allows for remote system monitoring. Water consumption is measured by water meters for each connection.  How to read your water meter

Treatment

The method of treatment is chlorine disinfection. The water system currently meets all Canadian Standard Drinking Water Guidelines and water quality advisories are rarely issued.

Storage

The water system includes the following reservoir:

• Sunset Ranch Reservoir – 1,530 m³ three cell concrete reservoir

Distribution system

The system includes approximately 7,700 metres of watermain.

Plans for future upgrades

No major upgrades are required or planned at this time.

Governance

The water system is owned and operated by the RDCO.

Upper Fintry/Shalal Road/Valley of the Sun

Service area map

Approx. # of customer connections

177

Water source

Sourced from two wells located in the Fintry/Delta area.

Size and number of connections

The system services approximately 128 active connections and 325 parcels in the service area.

Location

The system is located on the west side of Okanagan Lake in the area surrounding Fintry, BC and is within Central Okanagan West Electoral Area.

System description

The Upper Fintry/Shalal Road/Valley of the Sun Water System was constructed in 2012, has multiple pressure zones, two reservoirs, and three pump stations. The water system utilizes a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, which allows for remote system monitoring. Water consumption is measured by water meters for each connection.  How to read your water meter

Treatment

The method of treatment is chlorine disinfection. The water system currently meets all Canadian Standard Drinking Water Guidelines and water quality advisories are rarely issued.

Storage

The water system includes the following reservoirs:

• Booster Station Reservoir – 245 m³ concrete reservoir; and
• Firwood Reservoir – 1,440 m³ dual cell concrete reservoir.

Distribution system

The system includes approximately 11,600 metres of watermain.

Plans for future upgrades

No major upgrades are required or planned at this time.

Governance

The water system is owned and operated by the RDCO.

The bathroom - close to 70 percent of all water used in a house flows through the bathroom faucets and toilet tank.

• Repair leaky faucets and taps
• Install water saving showerheads and aerators on bathroom taps and faucets
• Take shorter showers or use less water when you use the bathtub
• Turn off the water when shampooing your hair, shaving or brushing your teeth. Shaving with the water running consumes 80-litres of water, while brushing your teeth with a free flowing faucet sees eight-litres go down the drain
• Flush toilets less often

The kitchen

• Install aerators on kitchen taps
• Repair leaky faucets. Dripping taps can waste as much as 300-litres of water a week
• Wash vegetables and fruit in a pan rather than under a running tap. Use water that’s left over for your houseplants or garden
• Keep a jug of cold water in your fridge, rather than running a faucet. A faucet uses between seven and 12-litres of water each minute
• Wash dishes by hand
• Scrape leftover food from dishes before putting them in the dishwasher
• Run your dishwasher only when it is full. A dishwasher can use up to 88-litres of water per load

Outside your home

Improve your soil and lower your water consumption by 25% or more:

• Aerate your soil every spring. Over time, it gets compacted, especially if you apply chemical fertilizers. Aeration improves water penetration and helps oxygen and organic materials to reach the roots. Allow cores to dry out and break down, don’t rake them up
• Top dress your lawn with compost or other organic material so that your lawn holds water and nutrients longer, meaning you don’t have to water as often
• Grass—cycling helps! Leave grass clippings on the ground and they’ll provide up to 25% of your lawn’s fertilizer requirements. As clippings decompose, valuable nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium will return to your soil...it is nature’s slow release fertilizer
• Check your irrigation system for these common water-wasting problems:
  • Coverage—You should have some overlap in coverage from head to head. Without this you may try to over-water to compensate and that wastes water
  • Pressure—If the water mists from sprinkler heads, the pressure is too high and it will evaporated before hitting the ground. High pressure will also wear out your heads faster. The optimum pressure should be 25—35 psi for fixed spray heads, 40—60 psi for rotary heads, 10—20 psi for micro jets and 20 psi for drip lines
  • Sprinkler heads—Once a month do a walk through inspection looking for leaking heads or those that are spraying in the wrong direction. As well, make sure none of the heads are blocked by plant growth
  • Timer—Take control of your timer! One of the greatest contributors to peak water use is through the misuse of irrigation timers. Adjust your timer for the season and turn it off when it rains. You don’t need to water every day. Leave your timer on manual and water only when you actually need to
  • Zones—If you don’t install enough zones, you create inefficiencies that will run up the cost of your water bill, eclipsing the cost of having the proper number of zones in the first place. Ensure your zones are appropriate for the plant grouping and microclimate of your yard

Here's the latest newsletter for RDCO water customers

• Spring 2023