Residents in West Kelowna, B.C., are experiencing ongoing issues with foul-smelling, discoloured, and bad-tasting water flowing through their taps. This problem has been exacerbated by the recent commissioning of a new $75 million water treatment plant in Rose Valley. Despite the new facility, many residents are still unable to drink the water coming out of their taps. Some residents, like Olivia Lawson from Rose Valley, have resorted to not drinking the water at all, while others, like Jackie Haynes from West Kelowna Estates, have had to deal with brown, stinky water that is undrinkable.
To address the concerns of residents, the city has implemented the addition of a chemical oxidant to help remove manganese from the water. The city claims that this addition is working and is helping to mitigate the discoloration issues caused by the manganese. However, residents are still questioning why they are paying monthly fees for a water treatment facility that is not producing clean water. Agnieszka Jamieson, another resident from Rose Valley, has expressed frustration with the situation, stating that even after boiling the water and using expensive filters, the water still stinks, making it difficult to use.
The ongoing problem with the water in West Kelowna has led to health concerns for residents who are unable to drink or use the water for cooking. Many residents, especially those with children, have resorted to buying bottled water or using filters to ensure that their families have access to clean water. The situation has caused frustration and financial strain for many residents who are already paying monthly fees for water services that are not meeting their needs.
The $75 million water treatment plant in Rose Valley, which began operating in May, was meant to improve water quality for residents in West Kelowna. However, the issues with foul-smelling, discoloured, and bad-tasting water have persisted even after the commissioning of the new facility. The city’s efforts to address the problem by adding a chemical oxidant to help remove manganese have not fully resolved the issue, leading to continued dissatisfaction among residents.
Despite the city’s assurances that the addition of the chemical oxidant is working and that occasional spikes in manganese levels are being resolved, residents are still struggling with unusable water in their homes. The ongoing water quality issues have raised questions about the effectiveness of the new water treatment plant and the city’s commitment to providing clean and safe drinking water to its residents. Moving forward, residents are calling for a more permanent solution to the problem, rather than just temporary fixes that do not address the root cause of the water quality issues in West Kelowna.
