OKIB Round Lake/Madeline Lake/Heart Lake/Salmon River Water System Improvements

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

 

Many members of the Okanagan Indian Band (OKIB) community currently do not have reliable access to safe, clean drinking water that is adequately accessible.

 

- The Madeline Lake water system is currently on a long-term drinking water advisory (do not consume advisory for children under 2 and pregnant women) due to elevated manganese above the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality health limit.

- Round Lake, Madeline Lake and Salmon River Water (RMS) systems all have poor water quality, insufficient water source capacity, no treatment of disinfection, no reservoir storage and no operational redundancy. Currently, each of these systems has a single groundwater well for their source.

 

Upgrades to the water systems are needed to improve the quality and availability of drinking water for the OKIB membership, and to provide fire protection to the community.

 

Integrating the three small water systems rather that having three independent water systems provides considerable benefits, including significantly reduced capital costs for source, treatment and storage. It will also provide long-term savings in operation and maintenance (O&M) which also reduces the impact on the environment. Extending the distribution system between the three areas will also allow additional lots to connect to the water system rather than having their own private water system.

 

This project is proposed to address deficiencies with three existing OKIB water systems. The plan is to:

  1. Interconnect the three water systems with a new distribution system.
  2. Develop a new well and back-up well.
  3. Add treatment for iron/manganese removal with disinfection.
  4. Add a reservoir for equalization and fire protection.

 

More

Latest update

NOTICE OF INTENT TO MAKE A DETERMINATION

OKIB Round Lake/Madeline Lake/Heart Lake/Salmon River Water System Improvements – Public Comments Invited

 

February 19, 2025 – Indigenous Services Canada must determine whether the proposed OKIB Round Lake/Madeline Lake/Heart Lake/Salmon River Water System Improvements, located in Head of the Lake, Vernon BC is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. To help inform this determination, Indigenous Services Canada is inviting comments from the public respecting that determination.

 

Written comments must be submitted by March 21, 2025 to the BC Environment Team.

Participate

Key documents

Key documents
Document number Document title File Date
1 Notice of Intent to Make a Determination PDF (252 KB) February 19, 2025

Contacts

BC Environment Team
Indigenous Services Canada
600-1138 Melville Street
Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 4S3
Email: bcciarpubliccomments@sac-isc.gc.ca


Disclaimer

This map is for illustrative purposes. The markers represent the approximate locations based on available data. More than one marker may be identified for a given assessment.

  • Location

    • Head of the Lake, Vernon BC (British Columbia)

  • Nature of Activity

    • Water Management

  • Assessment Status

    In progress

  • Start Date

    2025-02-19

  • Proponent

    Okanagan Indian Band

  • Authorities

    • Indigenous Services Canada

  • Assessment Type

    Project on federal lands

  • Reference Number

    89301

Nearby assessments

...within 200 kilometres
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