Beginning this Thursday, the City of Fort St. John will begin emergency repairs to the Feeder Water Main that supplies water from the city wells near the Peace River.
To facilitate the work, city officials are announcing that water restrictions will be in place, and the Bulk Water Dispensing Stations will be closed until repairs are completed.
City officials say that a recently discovered a leak in the feeder main requires immediate action. Because this main is essential to supplying water for the community, the city will be unable to refill water reservoirs while repairs are underway.
Currently, the community uses approximately 7,300 cubic metres of water per day, and the reservoirs hold enough water to supply the community for four to five days under normal usage.
To ensure sufficient water remains available for essential services, including fire protection, the city is asking all residents and businesses to reduce water consumption as much as possible during the repair period.
How you can Help conserve water:
• Delay laundry, dishwashing, and other non-essential water use,
• Take shorter showers,
• Avoid refilling personal hot tubs,
• Reduce overall household and commercial water use wherever possible.
It is anticipated that the work will be completed within 48 hours. However, crews are prepared with contingency measures, including the potential use of overland pumping from the city wells near the Peace River, should the repairs take longer.
The city says they will monitor reservoir levels closely and providing regular updates as work progresses.