HUDSON’S HOPE, B.C. — After months of issues with its water treatment plant, the District of Hudson’s Hope has decided to return to river water.
According to a district release on November 30th, both the district and BC Hydro have agreed that returning to a river or reservoir water source as soon as possible is the best decision.
The water treatment plant’s test results, taken at multiple locations, have returned with favourable results, and the water is safe to drink. However, the district has still been facing various challenges with the treatment plant.
The services of McElhanney as an engineering consultant and Clear Blue Water as a contractor were retained by district staff to design and install the infrastructure to return to a surface water source.
McElhanney has prepared a technical memo containing three phases.
The first phase’s primary goal is to return to the river water source. The contractor has already ordered materials and hopes to start work by mid-December 2022 and begin temporary operation of the plant by early January 2023.
The plant operation may involve a temporary “boil water advisory” for a couple of weeks, but that decision will be up to Northern Health.
The second phase, expected to occur before spring 2023, is adding ultraviolet reactors, so the plant fully complies with the drinking water treatment objectives for surface water.
The final phase will provide designs for the expected rise in sediment in the river during the spring and summer months and the reservoir filling stage. This plan is reportedly still in development but will convert the existing plant to a permanent surface water treatment over the next three years.
District staff are working with the consultant for a date for an open house in early January 2023 to present the current status of the project and a future plan.
Over the past few months, the plant has seen multiple repairs, and residents have expressed their displeasure with the issues. The plant failed in July, leading to a boil water advisory and eventually a do not consume order from August 9th until October 14th.
For questions and concerns, the District Office can be reached at 250-783-9901.
