The District of Lake Country celebrated the completion of the Wood Lake Water Quality and Supply Improvements Project (locally known as the Kalamalka Lake Interconnect) last Friday at a formal opening event at the Kalamalka Lake pump station on Trask Road.
The new system is already up and running and has resulted in the removal of the permanent boil water advisory for Oyama residents and improved reliability and water quality.
The boil water notice had been in place since March 2010 for the Oyama Lake. It was lifted in February after the commissioning of the new Oyama reservoir and chlorination station occurred in February and ultraviolet disinfection on the Kalamalka Lake source was commissioned at the end of March.
“Water is one of our most precious community resources and an essential factor in good health,” said Norm Letnick, MLA for Kelowna-Lake Country. “This new water system provides a secure, reliable source of drinking water for residents in the District of Lake Country and the B.C. government is proud to support it with a $1.68 million grant through the Canada-BC Building Canada Fund.”
The $5.5 million Kalamalka Lake Interconnect project was the first priority of the new Water Master Plan and improves water quality and system reliability for customers on the Oyama and Kalamalka Lake water sources. The project and its many community benefits have been made possible with a $3.36 million contribution from the federal and provincial governments under the Canada-BC Building Canada Fund – Communities Component. Work commenced in September 2009 as soon as the funding was approved.
“We really appreciate the funding assistance provided by the senior levels of government which was crucial to moving this project to completion,” said Lake Country mayor James Baker. “In our program of ongoing infrastructure upgrades, this project was the next major step in achieving our vision of providing safe drinking water in a sustainable and affordable manner for our community and environment.”
The major goal of the project was the provision of UV disinfection and Kalamalka Lake water supply to the Wood Lake Water System with the following integrated components: •Ultraviolet treatment and capacity upgrades to Kalamalka Lake pump station to improve water quality and quantity; •Construction of Sawmill booster station and 850m of watermain to connect the Oyama east and west bench distribution systems;
•Construction of Oyama Creek 1,500m3 concrete storage reservoir, intake upgrades and new chlorination system.
The benefits associated with this completed project include: •Removal of the permanent Boil Water Notice for the Oyama Lake water source; •Improved water quality and fire protection; •Water conservation and green design; •Reduced customer complaints; •A more secure source of water and improved system reliability; •Savings on operating costs; and
•Provision of a mitigation strategy in the event of a drought.
This project will serve approximately 2400 residents.