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Many Princeton residents will have to boil water for the next year

Council approves spending $4.5M to move wells and build new treatment centre, following 2021 flood
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It will likely be a year before the majority of Princeton residents can safely drink the water, without boiling it.

That’s the news Princeton town council received at its June 20 meeting, as councillors approved a $4.5 million expenditure to drill two new wells and construct a new water treatment facility.

“I’m hoping that it could be done quicker but it’s a very large project,” said town CAO Lyle Thomas

All properties with the exception of those on the benches will remain on a boil water advisory issued by Interior Health.

Thomas explained wells one and two will be moved out of the flood plain, and the treatment building will be constructed in Memorial Park. “The good news is the funding has been approved,” he said.

Earlier this year, Princeton received $11.9 million from the provincial government for flood recovery. Thomas said the wells have been comprised and cannot produce consistent clear tests.

It is suspected the river bed was altered in the Nov. 14, 2021, disaster and is infiltrating the aquifers.

While the project is nearly read to go to tender, Thomas added that time is of the essence.

He said there is presently a national-wide pipe shortage and it is important to secure the materials for the job as soon as possible.

Related: $11.9 million in provincial flood relief for Princeton

Related: Flood destroyed a tiny but important part of Princeton

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Andrea DeMeer

About the Author: Andrea DeMeer

Andrea is the publisher of the Similkameen Spotlight.
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