Osoyoos sewer system could fail

The Town of Osoyoos has put out an urgent request for all residents to cease pumping flood water from basements or properties into the sewer system.

“The act of causing this water to enter the sewer system in current conditions is causing pump infrastructure to function beyond capacity, which may result in a breakdown of the Town sewer management system,” Barry Romanko, Osoyoos’ Chief Administrative Officer, said Thursday night.

Osoyoos Lake is rising quickly, prompting evacuation orders.

The Town is also ordering that all homes and businesses with basement flood water cover their floor drains or use other methods of draining their flood water outside buildings.

Anyone found pumping groundwater into the sewer system could be fined.