British ColumbiaSome areas in and around Vernon, B.C., will see a 36-hour water shutoff for emergency repairs starting Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT.Shutoff comes due to emergency repairs, areas will be under boil water notice once water supply comes backCBC News · Posted: Nov 17, 2025 6:45 PM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.A 36-hour-long shutoff is coming for the Greater Vernon water area on Tuesday night. (Pressmaster/Shutterstock)Some areas in and around Vernon, B.C., will see a 36-hour water shutoff for emergency repairs starting Tuesday at 7 p.m. PT.The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) said in a Monday statement that parts of the East Hill and South BX areas of Greater Vernon will see their water shut off.In addition to those areas, a much larger swath of properties will be restricted to essential water use only — including parts of Old Kamloops Road, Stepping Stones, parts of Coldstream and North and South BX — starting immediately.The regional district says that residents in the area under the water shutoff should store a sufficient amount of water for cooking, cleaning and filling toilets — with an official estimating around 1,000 residents are affected.The areas in yellow are restricted to essential water use only. The areas in red will see a water shutoff. (Regional District of North Okanagan)”When water is restored to these properties following the repair, these areas will be on a precautionary Boil Water Notice (BWN), in conjunction with Interior Health, until sampling results confirm the water is safe,” the RDNO said in its statement.Water should be boiled or at least one minute when preparing food and beverages or brushing teeth, according to the regional district.The supply is expected to be restored at 7 a.m. PT on Thursday, Nov. 20. Residents covered by the restrictions are expected to receive an update on Wednesday.Fill bathtubs with water, official advisesIn the larger swath of area restricted to essential water use only, residents have been told to only use water for drinking, food preparation, and other personal essential uses.”When the water is returned, all properties affected during the emergency repair may experience reduced water pressure, discolouration of the water, and/or air in their system,” the RDNO says.”Please run a cold water tap until the water has cleared. An outside tap is preferred but bathtubs may be used if outside taps are unavailable during the cooler months.”John Lord, the manager of water distribution at the RDNO, is one of the residents who’ll see his water supply shut off for 36 hours.He said a leak was discovered last Wednesday, and technicians plugged the hole with a valve and a piece of concrete to prevent a catastrophic leak.”It’s most likely soil corrosion. Yeah, this area of town has a road called Pottery Road because it has so much clay. And so that’s what I would guess is the most likely cause,” he said.He described the area as “partly suburban, partly rural.””And so the reason for the length of the delay is that we anticipate draining the pipe and filling the pipe to take the most time.”An official is telling people to fill their bathtubs up with water before the shutoff, to use for filling toilets. (Shutterstock)Lord advises people under a water shutoff to fill their bathtubs with water to use for filling their toilets, and to fill up large soup or stock pots for kitchen use.Residents in the area have been told to follow the regional district’s website for updates, with Lord asking residents to delay doing laundry and conserve water in any way they can until the all-clear is given.John Lord, the manager of water distribution at the Regional District of North Okanagan, is seen on Monday. (CBC)With files from Jenifer Norwell
36-hour water shutoff coming for parts of Greater Vernon starting Tuesday
