Due to recent wet weather and increased turbidity or cloudiness, the City of Kimberley has issued a water quality advisory for Marysville, the Kimberley Golf Course, Riverside Campground and the River Ridge Development adjacent to the campground, and the Teck DWT plant.
The advisory was issued in accordance with Interior Health’s Water Quality Notification Program, after recent testing revealed heightened levels of turbidity.
A press release issued at around 12 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 6 from the City, said that health risks, particularly to at-risk populations such as newborns, the elderly and the immunocompromised, increase as turbidity rises.
Turbidity is a measurement of water clarity which can serve as an indicator of potential health risk. Contaminants such as viruses, bacteria and parasites can attach themselves to the suspended particles in turbid water.
These particles can then interfere with disinfection, limiting chlorine’s ability to remove or inactivate the contaminants.
Water is considered good when turbidity levels are less than 1 NTU, and poor when greater than 5 NTU. Currently the turbidity levels exceed the 1 NTU standard recommended in the “Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality.”
The City of Kimberley and Interior Health recommend at-risk people such as children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems drink boiled water or a safe alternative.
For at-risk populations, the release said that water intended to be used for drinking, washing food, making juice or ice, or brushing teeth should be boiled for one minute.
Boiled water should then be refrigerated in a clean, covered container. People could alternatively choose to use bottled water or water filtered through a well-maintained treatment device.
Owners of all public facilities in the area must post Water Quality Advisories at all sinks or drinking water fountains accessible to the public, or they must be turned off.
The City said they are taking additional measure to reduce risk to health, and that Interior Health has been fully involved. The public will be notified when conditions change or water quality improves.