During spring run-off, turbidity is high in the Shuswap River which is the source water for the GRW. To keep up to the high turbidity levels coming into the GRW Treatment Plant (the Plant), it has to be operated at about half speed to provide drinking water that is below the 1 NTU requirement of the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines.
While the distribution pumps are able to meet the customer demands, the Plant cannot produce a sufficient volume of water to keep up and ensure there is adequate water in the reservoir. If the system operates in this manner for an extended period of time, the reservoir level can be depleted entirely resulting in loss of water to customers, and / or compromised water quality.
To preserve the water supply and avoid system shut downs, the RDNO asks customers to not use water outdoors during freshet (increased flows resulting from snow and ice melt in the rivers). Notification will be provided to customers during these times via road signs, the GRW email alert system, and the RDNO website. To help avoid water restrictions check out our water conservation tips on our water conservation page.
