Water Quality & Standards

RDNO Water Utilities are responsible for developing a water quality program which is reviewed by Interior Health. These water quality programs ensure that our potable water supply meets Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines and the BC Drinking Water Protection Act and Regulations.

Water Quality Notifications & Alerts

Have a look at the Water Source Area Map to determine your source of water. The Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water which is an essential component of a healthy community.

Please look for the news item either on the homepage under RDNO News or under the News tab if the item is not on the homepage anymore.

*Source*	*Type of Treatment*	Status
Duteau Creek - Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant	Dissolved Air Floatation Treatment, Ultra Violet Disinfection & Chlorination No Filtration	NO ADVISORY
Kalamalka Lake - Mission Hill Water Treatment Plant	Ultra Violet Disinfection & Chlorination No Filtration	NO ADVISORY
Okanagan Lake - Outback	Ultra Violet Disinfection & Chlorination No Filtration	NO ADVISORY
Okanagan Lake - Delcliffe	Chlorination Only No Filtration	NO ADVISORY

Drinking water quality is monitored at the source, during treatment, after treatment and within the distribution system, as set out in the annual program. Samples are taken at the intakes, at the treatment plant and at distribution sites and then sent to certified laboratories for testing. Some tests are conducted on site, such as, chlorine analysis and online monitoring instruments that can continuously monitor parameters such as turbidity and free chlorine residual. Most chemical and microbiological tests are conducted at a certified laboratory. There are over 2,000 bacterial samples tested for the Greater Vernon Water (GVW) water system annually. Other tests include metals, nitrates and disinfection by products such as trihalomethanes.
Immediate reporting is required under section 12 of the BC Drinking Water Protection Act. If the water quality standards in Schedule A for the fecal coliform bacteria or Escherichia coli are not met, an investigation is conducted. Occasionally standards are not met as a result of contamination during the sampling process but if there is evidence that the community is at risk from the exposure of waterborne pathogens, a public notice will advise people to take additional precautions with their drinking water and extra sampling will be completed. Where chemical contaminants exceed the maximum acceptable concentrations, the public will be notified of any potential health risk.
- GVW Water Quality Monitoring Plan (includes 73 sampling sites in the water distribution and 20 raw (non-potable) water sample sites).
- Testing Program at a Glance
- FAQs - Greater Vernon Water Quality
- Water Quality Glossary of Terms
Provincial & Federal Regulations
All public drinking water systems in British Columbia must comply with the BC Drinking Water Protection Act and the BC Drinking Water Protection Regulation. In addition, water suppliers use the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality as criteria that must be met if possible.
Other Guidance
The BC Ministry of Health has provided guidance documents to assist water utilities and drinking water officers.
Greater Vernon Water (GVW) has no known lead water mains. We enhance drinking water during the treatment process at the Duteau Creek Water Treatment Plant with either pH control or the addition of zinc orthophosphate. The zinc orthophosphate forms a protective coating inside all pipes and creates a barrier between pipes and water to help prevent the metal in the pipes from leaching into the water.
We sample our water routinely to make sure it meets Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality, which includes sampling for lead at two of our sites within Greater Vernon Water which have never had lead levels exceeding the current Health Canada guideline. The two sites are the Allenby Pump Station (receives water from Kalamalka Lake) and Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) #2 (receives water from Duteau Creek). The current laboratory results from these two sites are located under the Water Quality Reports and Analysis section below the section titled "Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis by Distribution" and listed as "Kalamalka Distribution Site - Allenby Pump Station" and "Duteau Creek Distribution - PRV #2).
What Residents Can Do to Avoid Lead in Their Homes
It is important for residents to understand that most cases of lead in drinking water are from private connections. Your house may have lead in the pipes, plumbing materials or in the service bringing water from our infrastructure into your house.
If you suspect your pipes have traces of lead which could leach into your drinking water, consider taking the following steps:
1. Turn on your tap and let the water run until it is colder before consuming it.
2. Remove and clean aerators within your home periodically to eliminate possible lead particle buildup in taps.
3. Purchase a water filtration system that is NSF International standard certified to remove lead.
4. Contact a certified plumber to inspect the pipes for lead and evaluate the possibility of replacement.
5. Always use cold tap water for drinking or cooking, as hot water can have higher lead concentrations.
Resources
Delcliffe Water Utility follows the Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community. Monthly and annual water quality reports are published to ensure transparency.
Monthly water quality reports summarize water quality monitoring parameters such as: chlorine, bacterial, turbidity, and Ultra Violet Transmissivity (UVT). Water quality monitoring results are provided to Interior Health by the 15 of each month and annually by June 30 of the following year.
Water Quality Monthly Reports
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis
- Delcliffe Raw
Greater Vernon Water follows the Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community. Monthly and annual water quality reports are published to ensure transparency.
Monthly water quality reports summarize water quality monitoring parameters such as: chlorine, bacterial, turbidity, and Ultra Violet Transmissivity (UVT). Water quality monitoring results are provided to Interior Health by the 15 of each month and annually by June 30 of the following year.
Water Quality Monthly Reports
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis by Source
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis by Distribution
- Duteau Distribution at PRV #2 (January 2021)
- Duteau Distribution at PRV #2 (July 2020)
- Kalamalka Distribution at Allenby Pump Station (January 2021)
- Kalamalka Distribution at Allenby Pump Station (July 2020)
Comprehensive Water Analysis by Irrigation Systems
Grindrod Water Utility follows the Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community. Monthly and annual water quality reports are published to ensure transparency.
Monthly water quality reports summarize water quality monitoring parameters such as: chlorine, bacterial, turbidity, and Ultra Violet Transmissivity (UVT). Water quality monitoring results are provided to Interior Health by the 15 of each month and annually by June 30 of the following year.
Water Quality Monthly Reports
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis
- 2021 Grindrod Water Utility Source Water
Mabel Lake Water Utility follows the Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community. Monthly and annual water quality reports are published to ensure transparency.
Monthly water quality reports summarize water quality monitoring parameters such as: chlorine, bacterial, turbidity, and Ultra Violet Transmissivity (UVT). Water quality monitoring results are provided to Interior Health by the 15 of each month and annually by June 30 of the following year.
Water Quality Monthly Reports
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis
- Mabel Lake Raw
Outback Water Utility follows the Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community. Monthly and annual water quality reports are published to ensure transparency.
Monthly water quality reports summarize water quality monitoring parameters such as: chlorine, bacterial, turbidity, and Ultra Violet Transmissivity (UVT). Water quality monitoring results are provided to Interior Health by the 15 of each month and annually by June 30 of the following year.
Water Quality Monthly Reports
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis
- Outback Lake Station
Silver Star Water Utility follows the Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community. Monthly and annual water quality reports are published to ensure transparency.
Monthly water quality reports summarize water quality monitoring parameters such as: chlorine, bacterial, turbidity, and Ultra Violet Transmissivity (UVT). Water quality monitoring results are provided to Interior Health by the 15 of each month and annually by June 30 of the following year.
Water Quality Monthly Reports
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis
- 2020 Comprehensive Water Analysis
Whitevale Water Utility follows the Interior Health Protection Water Quality Program, which is dedicated to achieving safe, clean, reliable drinking water as an essential component of a healthy community. Monthly and annual water quality reports are published to ensure transparency.
Monthly water quality reports summarize water quality monitoring parameters such as: chlorine, bacterial, turbidity, and Ultra Violet Transmissivity (UVT). Water quality monitoring results are provided to Interior Health by the 15 of each month and annually by June 30 of the following year.
Water Quality Monthly Reports
Comprehensive Drinking Water Analysis
- Whitevale Well