Grindrod Water - Generator Project

The Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO) manages the Grindrod Water Utility (GRW) located in Electoral Area "F" which serves approximately 50 properties. Water is drawn from the adjacent Shuswap River near the Highway 97A crossing and is treated to meet Canadian Drinking Water Standards.

The Grindrod Water  area experiences frequent power outages, which can result in the depressurization of the water distribution system which results in a Boil Water Notice being issued.  This project will see the installation of a standby power generator to allow the system to operate during a power outage and avoid the need for Boil Water Notices. 

In addition, significant electrical upgrades are also being completed to allow for the generator to be installed and separate the electrical from the water treatment plant process. The water treatment plant’s electrical infrastructure is being heavily corroded due to the high humidity inside the building which is generated from the water treatment process. This causes equipment failures and increased repairs to the electrical infrastructure. The separation of the electrical equipment inside the water treatment plant is a significant improvement for the water utility and will reduce long term maintenance costs and improve the resilience of the water system.

This project is fully funded by Community Works Funds from Electoral Area “F”.

Additional Project Information

• Why is the project timeline 2.5 years long?

The pre-design and cost estimates were completed in 2022 and revealed that additional funding was required to proceed. Additional funding was secured in 2022 through the Community Works Funds, allowing us to move forward. Additionally, generators have long delivery timeframes, so the generator was ordered as soon as the funding was approved but delivery is not expected until spring 2024.

• Will my water quality be affected during construction?

When the generator is installed and tested there will be an interruption in water service. A Boil Water Notice will be in effect during the water service interruption and will remain in place until water quality sampling results show that the system has returned to normal. Customers will be given advance notice of the water service interruption and Boil Water Notice.