We know this Boil Water Notice affects every household and business in Summerland, and we're grateful for your patience.
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐮𝐞𝐝: When the wildfire reached the ridge above Summerland on August 7 and the community was placed under evacuation, the District made the call to temporarily shut down our Water Treatment Plant and switch to a backup line to keep water flowing for firefighting. That backup line brought untreated water into the system, so — in consultation with Interior Health — we issued the Boil Water Notice right away as a precaution.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬: Our Water Treatment Plant is back online and has been supplying fully treated water since August 13. Flushing and everyday use are steadily clearing untreated water from the system, and early results are encouraging — independent, third-party testing has so far found no health-related concerns from the wildfire.
𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞: A wildfire raises extra water quality questions, so we're testing carefully and thoroughly. The District is doing everything in its power to have this notice lifted as quickly as it can be done safely — but the final decision rests with Interior Health. That's an important public-health safeguard that exists to protect you, and we'll meet every requirement they set as fast as we can.
How long? We expect the Boil Water Notice may remain in place until the end of August — though that timing depends on test results and Interior Health's final sign-off.
Ultimately, this is about your health — and that's not something we're willing to take any risks with. Thank you for your patience.