One aquifer, 193, is on the west side of Osoyoos Lake between Gyro Park and the north end of the lake.
The aquifers naturally filter the water through sand and gravel underground.
With the exception of rural areas north and south of town during irrigation season, tap water doesn’t come directly from the lake.
The exception, well 6, is treated with chlorine because this water is sent to Irrigation District 8 and is fed into pipes that receive lake water during the irrigation season.
The treatment is a precaution in case there is any residual lake water from the irrigation system, Dinwoodie said.
The two areas receiving lake water during irrigation season are Irrigation District 8 and Irrigation District 9, north and south of the town, respectively.
The Town of Osoyoos is in the process of twinning the water systems of those areas to separate irrigation water from the lake and domestic water, which would come from wells from the aquifer year round.
Water from the town’s wells is pumped to underground reservoirs near Osoyoos Golf Course.
The water then goes into storage ponds, before being treated with chlorine and used to irrigate the golf course, Desert Park and ball diamonds.
After sitting for several years, the dried sludge can be put into landfill or be mixed with garden waste and used as compost.