-Cause of computer malfunction still under investigation-

OSOYOOS TIMES-December 31, 2008-

By Karen KnelsenrnOsoyoos Times

The gift of safe drinking water is something Osoyoos residents may not take for granted again after a boil water notice was lifted Christmas Eve.
Water samples were sent off to Interior Health on Dec. 23 and the results were in by the afternoon of Dec. 24.
All the samples came back perfect, said Ron Doucette, the Town's public works director.
A reservoir belonging to the Town was overfilled on Dec. 15 after a computer and radio communications system failed and a pump didn't get shut off when the reservoir was full.
Then, a backup alarm system failed as well and the pump continued dumping water into the full reservoir for about eight hours.
About two million litres of water overflowed and eroded supportive soil around three of the town's main water lines which in turn caused them to break and spill even more water into the area.
Roughly 200 homes lost water service, several orchards flooded and a community-wide boil water notice was issued.
Water was turned back on for those who had been cut off on Dec. 18.
Doucette said the exact cause of the malfunction is still undetermined.
A number of things happened, he said. I'll be making a report to council.rnMayor Stu Wells said there will be a full evaluation of the Town's water flow and alarm systems and changes may be made to overflow systems.
Let's not have our overflow system in the vicinity of our (water) supply system, he said, adding that there may be discussions between Osoyoos town council and Town staff about diverting overflow water into a canal that feeds into Kissinger Creek in southern Osoyoos.
reporter@osoyoostimes.com