Flood cleanup is starting in Coldstream.
The district will be providing curb side sand bag pick up for the properties along the lake (Westkal Rd., Kalavista Dr., Kirkland Dr., Tebo Dr., Postill Dr., Kalamalka Rd.) that were affected from the flooding.
Starting Monday, July 31 to Aug. 14, sandbags placed at the curb by 7 a.m. will be picked up during regular business hours. A final cleanup will be conducted on Aug. 14.
“It will be the responsibility of the property owner to dispose of any sandbags not placed at curbside and picked up by that time,” said Trevor Seibel, Coldstream’s chief administrative officer in a release.
Under no circumstances should sandbags be emptied on beaches or into any creeks, wetlands, or other watercourses as outlined in the Water Sustainability Act.
“The impact can destroy fish habitat and affect drinking water, infrastructure, flood control, navigation and recreational activities.”
Please report violators to Natural Resources at 1-877-952-7277 (option 2) toll free or #7277 on a cell phone.
Sand bags may also be dropped off free of charge at the RDNO Recycling and Disposal Facilities (RDFs) as long as they are not mixed with any other substance, garbage or recycling materials. Customers must report to the scale prior to disposing of the sandbags.
In most instances sand used for flood protection in the District of Coldstream can be treated as clean soil and used as general fill, substitute aggregate in construction applications or blended into gardens and lawns.
SANDBAG HANDLING GUIDELINES
The following are general guidelines for the handling of sandbags:
Gloves and proper footwear should be worn when handling sandbags.
After handling sandbags wash exposed body parts with soap and water and launder clothing.
Wet sandbags will be at least twice as heavy as dry sandbags therefore caution should be used or assistance should be sought for lifting the bags.
In accordance with Provincial regulations, sand from sandbags must not be placed directly into or adjacent to streams, lakes, ponds, rivers, creeks, springs, ravines, gulches, or wetlands whether or not they contain water.
Be careful when beginning a clean-up. Be aware of physical, microbiological, and chemical hazards. For more information refer to HealthLink BC: http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile20.stm