UPDATE — May 13, 9 a.m. PT: The Kamloops-Thompson School District announced that five schools are set to reopen on Wednesday, except for R.L. Clemitson Elementary, which remains closed due to a lack of water supply. The reopened schools are Dallas Elementary, Ralph Bell Elementary, Juniper Ridge Elementary, Marion Schilling Elementary, and Valleyview Secondary. Although water service has been restored to these schools, the district stated that the water is not safe for consumption.
Approximately 8,000 residences in Kamloops, B.C., will continue to experience a disruption in piped water supply for at least another day following unsuccessful attempts to fix a water main break near the city’s downtown area. Officials reported that a 500-millimeter main along River Street sustained a break, impacting residents living east of the site in neighborhoods such as Rose Hill, Barnhartvale, Juniper Ridge, Dallas, and Campbell Creek.
Despite efforts to repair the break, the city confirmed at 5:10 p.m. PT that repair attempts were ineffective, leaving the water system compromised. The city announced plans for a more robust repair process, initiating on Wednesday morning once reservoirs are refilled to restore water service to the affected area. Affected properties are urged to minimize water usage to facilitate the replenishment of reservoirs.
The city initially pinpointed the issue on Monday and advised residents to conserve water. Joe Luison, the City of Kamloops’ civic operations assistant director and public works divisional manager, stated that although this situation may cause discomfort temporarily, excessive water usage prompted the city to shut off water access to prevent reservoir depletion, which could lead to water contamination.
Following the completion of repairs and water testing, boil water advisories and “do not consume” orders will persist for affected residents. The city mentioned that test results may take up to a week to be processed by the relevant authorities. To assist residents during the water outage, the city will provide non-potable water at designated locations and coordinate with Kamloops Fire Rescue to ensure water tenders are on standby in case of a fire emergency.
Residents like Ron McCall, residing in the impacted area, commended the city’s response to the situation, emphasizing understanding and acceptance of the incident. Luison emphasized that once water service resumes, residents should refrain from normal water usage until reservoir levels return to normal to ensure ample water supply for both residents and fire suppression needs.
Moreover, the Kamloops Thompson School District closed six schools on Tuesday due to water supply issues. The city confirmed that the cost of repairing the water main break will be covered by city reserves.