Photo: Getty Images

In just a few days the Water Quality Advisory in West Kelowna will have been in place for two months, leaving residents and city officials frustrated.

The water advisory was first issued for the Lakeview Water System on Aug. 4, and affects 11,000 people in Lakeview Heights, Rose Valley, Boucherie Centre, Shannon Woods, Tallus Ridge and Shannon Lake areas.

Due to above normal turbidity, between 1.6 and 2.2 NTU, children, the elderly and those with weakened immunity should consume water brought to a rolling boil for one minute, or use an alternate, safe water source.

City spokesperson Kirsten Jones says the water-quality advisory is still in effect and they have city biologists monitoring the situation daily. Jones says they will let everyone know the minute it is safe to drink the water again.

The affected Lakeview Water System also includes half a dozen elementary and secondary schools that had to make provisions before the school year began Sept. 6.

Mar Jok Elementary School principal Alisa Privett said water fountains have all been turned off and water coolers with bottled water have been stationed at multiple points throughout each school.

“The children bring their own water bottles and we fill them up with the bottled water here,” said Privett.

“We are trying not to use the paper cups as we are a green school, so the children bring their own bottles.”

She explained that the district is providing all of the bottled water as it is considered a health and safety issue as children are considered a more vulnerable population.

“We had a plan in action, the day the student's arrived.”

Going forward, the city has completed the Water Utility Master Plan with plans to build a water-filtration plant at the Rose Valley Reservoir.

He said the project plan in the works would cost about $40.6 million, so the city is currently looking into increased water rates to cover the cost.

The city will also look into applying for provincial funds to speed up the process.

As it stands, the new filtration plant is expected to be built and in operation by 2021.

Photo: Contributed