The end of a months-long boil water advisory in Lower Nicola could be on the horizon, as the Lower Nicola Water Works aims to secure the necessary funds to replace a temporary water line to residents on Marshall Road.
The initial advisory was issued on May 11, after a surging Guichon Creek cut a swath through Lower Nicola, breaking an underground water line on Marshall Road.
Though damage to the Marshall Road line temporarily restricted water access to some residents, the advisory was actually issued in response to bacteriological contamination detected in water samples sent to Interior Health.
As the flood water receded and Guichon Creek returned to a regular flow, a temporary over-land pipe was installed to restore access to running water for residents on Marshall Road, explained Lorne Robertson, maintenance supervisor with the Lower Nicola Water Works.
“The water is potable out here in the entire system.
However, because that’s only a temporary over-land line, [Interior Health] will not take that boil water notice off,” said Robertson.
Katie McNamara, an environmental health officer with IH explained that the province’s Drinking Water Protection Act requires a construction permit to be obtained prior to any repairs of a water main.
“The permit application is done through Interior Health, and the applicant must provide enough information about the proposed construction for a Public Health Engineer to be able to process it,” said McNamara in a statement emailed to the Herald.
“We’re having quite a bit of difficulty with funding,” said Robertson, who added that the group is now looking at dipping into their own reserves in order to fund the project.
“Sometime this week perhaps — I’m not sure, it’s only speculation — that we’ll have that contract awarded and work will commence pretty quick,” said Robertson.

The end of a months-long boil water advisory in Lower Nicola could be on the horizon, as the Lower Nicola Water Works aims to secure the necessary funds to replace a temporary water line to residents on Marshall Road.
The initial advisory was issued on May 11, after a surging Guichon Creek cut a swath through Lower Nicola, breaking an underground water line on Marshall Road.
Though damage to the Marshall Road line temporarily restricted water access to some residents, the advisory was actually issued in response to bacteriological contamination detected in water samples sent to Interior Health.
As the flood water receded and Guichon Creek returned to a regular flow, a temporary over-land pipe was installed to restore access to running water for residents on Marshall Road, explained Lorne Robertson, maintenance supervisor with the Lower Nicola Water Works.
“The water is potable out here in the entire system.
However, because that’s only a temporary over-land line, [Interior Health] will not take that boil water notice off,” said Robertson.
Katie McNamara, an environmental health officer with IH explained that the province’s Drinking Water Protection Act requires a construction permit to be obtained prior to any repairs of a water main.
“The permit application is done through Interior Health, and the applicant must provide enough information about the proposed construction for a Public Health Engineer to be able to process it,” said McNamara in a statement emailed to the Herald.
“We’re having quite a bit of difficulty with funding,” said Robertson, who added that the group is now looking at dipping into their own reserves in order to fund the project.
“Sometime this week perhaps — I’m not sure, it’s only speculation — that we’ll have that contract awarded and work will commence pretty quick,” said Robertson.

Totladoh reservoir, which is a major source of water supply to the city, is only 11% full even after two months of rainy season.
Last year the dam was 70% full in July end.
A Vidarbha Irrigation Development Corporation (VIDC) official said that the storage capacity of Totladoh was 1,017 million cubic metres (mm3).
"On the morning of July 31, the dam had only 113 mm3 water, which is worrying.
The rainfall in the district has also been far lower than the average," he added.
The average storage of last five years is 561 mm3.
In 2013, the dam had 934 mm3.
The average of last five years is 1,658 mm3.
The storage in 40 medium-sized reservoirs in the division is also a cause for worry.
The average figure for July end is just 21%.

Despite the challenges, she says, government has invested resources and efforts to ensure every citizen gets access to clean water and excellent Sanitary services across the country.
Mandate RURA mandate in water sub-sector has been to regulate the provision of water services in a way that promotes fair competition, sustainable and efficient use of water resources and ensure that water service providers offer a good quality of service in regards to drinking water.
It is therefore important to keep the sector well regulated.
The same project has benefitted 450,000 Rwandans with good access to sanitation services.
Government recently enacted the National Water Supply and Sanitation Program with the objective of providing sustainable drinking water supply and sanitation services to rural communities with a view of improving their health.
In the last seven years, RURA has set new regulations and new tariffs for those operating in the water and sanitation sector in Rwanda.
There has been improvement in the water supply services coverage as per the EICV3 and EICV4 results.
The efforts to improve sanitation in the country have paid off with access to improved sanitation facilities increasing from 18% in 1994 up to 74.5% in 2015 and to the current 83.4% according to EICV4 statistics.
Messages on safe hygiene practices were provided through direct promotion activities with communities and training on sanitation and hygiene promotion.
Engineer Byigero, says all service providers are licensed and, currently, number to 23 providing sanitation services in Rwanda.

The surveys, conducted by a Water Resources team from the Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Geoscience Division, have mapped new sources of underground water in Qerelevu and Nanuku-Wailevu.
The initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented through the SPC’s Micro Projects Program, was carried out near a number of communities who are yet to be connected to the Water Authority of Fiji network and have a history of water shortages.
“Access to safe, reliable water for drinking and farming is essential for healthy, productive communities.
Due to the increased demand and the impact of extreme weather events, this access remains a challenge for some communities.
Sources of groundwater can be tapped to help meet demand, but it takes expert knowledge, specialist equipment and sustainable management.
SPC’s Water Resources adviser, Peter Sinclair, said the surveys—which use sophisticated geophysical electrical resistivity equipment—have detected places where there are likely to be sources of fresh underground water that could be potentially tapped.
“The areas surveyed currently rely on a combination of collected rainwater, springs, or shallow wells.
“Groundwater from deeper sources has the distinct advantage that it is less impacted by droughts and cyclones, and so it offers greater reassurance of a safe water supply.
Identifying the sources of new water supplies is just the first step in the process but it is a significant one as the information can be used to develop future water supply systems as needed.
“The best approach for ensuring safe and resilient water supply to rural areas is to work within the physical and social limitations of the communities for which the water supplies will be used, operated and maintained,” Sinclair said.

The surveys, conducted by a Water Resources team from the Pacific Community’s Geoscience Division have mapped new sources of underground water in Qerelevu (Ba) and Nanuku-Wailevu (Ra).
The initiative, funded by the European Union and implemented through the Pacific Community’s (SPC) Micro Projects Program, was carried out near a number of communities who are yet to be connected to the Water Authority of Fiji network and have a history of water shortages.
“Access to safe, reliable water for drinking and farming is essential for healthy, productive communities.
Due to the increased demand and the impact of extreme weather events, this access remains a challenge for some communities .
Sources of groundwater can be tapped to help meet demand, but it takes expert knowledge, specialist equipment and sustainable management.
SPC’s Water Resources Adviser, Peter Sinclair said the surveys – which use sophisticated geophysical electrical resistivity equipment – have detected places where there are likely to be sources of fresh underground water that could be potentially tapped.
“The areas surveyed currently rely on a combination of collected rainwater, springs or shallow wells.
“Groundwater from deeper sources has the distinct advantage that it is less impacted by droughts and cyclones, and so it offers greater reassurance of a safe water supply.
Identifying the sources of new water supplies is just the first step in the process but it is a significant one as the information can be used to develop future water supply systems as needed.
“The best approach for ensuring safe and resilient water supply to rural areas is to work within the physical and social limitations of the communities for which the water supplies will be used, operated and maintained,” Sinclair said.

So with 40% of Santa Clara’s supplies being conveyed through the Delta, whether or not to sign on to the California Water Fix is an important decision that will be coming before the board.
The California Water Fix is the state’s proposal to improve the water supply reliability of the State Water Project and the Central Valley Project and improve the Delta ecosystem.
Staff is studying the proposal to determine whether or not it protects the economic viability of the County, whether the District’s State Water Project and Central Valley Project contracts and existing supplies are protected, whether costs are allocated equitably, and whether the participating contractors who pay for the project will receive the benefits.
The Water Fix can potentially improve the ability to move our State Water Project supplies across the Delta, but to get the water from the Delta to our county on the state side, we need the South Bay Aqueduct.
There are discussions on how to go about constructing a framework that can provide for that on the CVP side and the SWP side.” Director Le Zotte asks, “So if you’re a non participant and you don’t participate in the construction of the tunnels, what would you’re not being harmed be … ?” “The discussions are still in flux but currently the concept is that the project will be integrated with the existing State Water Project and Central Valley Project operations,” replied Ms. Kao.
“How do we get less water?
Whether they say it’s 1 MAF or whatever, we’re still going to be getting a certain amount of water here that we paid for.” “If we take no action, then under the water supply contract, our delivered water, our allocated water can go down, depending upon what the regulatory criteria are in the future and what the state of the Delta is,” said Ms. Kao.
Tell me more about the reliability of the State Water Project.
So the Delta decision is just one decision amongst many that we’re going to be making about our water portfolio.” “Sometimes I hear comments from the public that suggest we should be focusing on lower cost solutions in terms of our water supply and I think that for many of us, including myself, when we look at that big dollar figure, it seems like the Water Fix is a very expensive project,” continued Director Keegan.
I work for you, and I’m going to make sure our Board does the same thing.

FG to partner private sector on water supply, sanitation.
THE Federal Government (FG) has concluded plans to partner all relevant private bodies on the need to improve water supply and sanitation in the country.
This is even as it described the state of the water supply and sanitation sub-sector of Nigeria as pathetic.
The Minister of Water Resources, Engr Suleiman Adamu, in a statement signed by the Director, Water Supply Engr Benson Ajisegiri at the weekend in Abuja reiterated that over 50 million Nigerians still do not have access to improved sources of drinking water while over 100 million lack access to improved sanitation facilities either at home or in public places.
He said in a bid to address the situation, the Ministry recently launched an initiative tagged, “Partnership for Expanded Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (PEWASH)”.
The PEWASH is a National Collaboration Platform for the improvement of access to water supply and Sanitation nationwide through structured multi-agency partnerships.
He added that the partnership includes roles for the Public sector, private sector and other development partners both local and internationally.
The Minister stated that the PEWASH Initiative will be unveiled to the private sector which would involve all the Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of Organized Private Sector in a one-day interactive meeting.

Govt fails to complete 1600 water supply schemes.
Only 35% JK people get tap water from treated sources NL Correspondent SRINAGAR: The government has failed to complete around 1600 water supply schemes despite only 35 percent people in Jammu and Kashmir receiving tap water from treated sources.
As per official figures, only 35 percent people in Jammu and Kashmir get tap water from treated sources.
It says J&K is far behind than neigbouring states where people have more access to treated water than this state.
While the non-completion of over 1600 water supply schemes is “forcing” people to fetch water from contaminated sources for drinking purposes in the state.
However, only 232 have been completed so far.
Similarly, 294 schemes were sanctioned for Jammu district, 168 for Rajouri, Poonch 89, Kishtwar 99, Kathua and Samba 72 each.
While for Leh and Kargil distrcts of Ladakh region, 149 schemes were allotted.
Minister for PHE, Sham Lal Choudhary, said, “112 schemes have been completed in Jammu region, 88 in Kashmir and 32 in Ladakh province so far for which the centre has released Rs 227 crore.” For completion of rest of the schemes, the Minister said the state government has sought ‘one time’ funding from the centre.
He said no new schemes are being started until the completion of the previous schemes.

60,000 locals of Baglung deprived of drinking water as landslides destroy water pipes.
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christrick BAGLUNG, July 13: Locals of Baglung bazaar at the district headquarters are facing severe drinking water shortage for the past few days as monsoon-induced landslides destroyed water supply lines, depriving access to water to as many as 60,000 locals.
With this, the already chronic water shortage has increased during the wet season.
We are forced buy jar water,” said Suraj Pariyar, a local of Baglung bazaar.
“Let alone drinking water, we are compelled to purchase water even for cleaning toilet and bathing.
According to the locals, water supply has been completely halted after landslides washed away water supply pipes since last Thursday.
But we are doing our best to ease the drinking water supply,” he informed, adding that it might take another week to repair the pipes.
According to Sharma, they will repair pipes at Reskhola after the landslides stop.