Asked to limit water use

UPDATE 3 p.m.

The district of Clearwater is reminding residents to limit their water usage as its water reservoir remains critically low.

"The surface water intake from Hascheak Creek is continuing to provide enough flow to sustain water pressure, but we cannot guarantee this will last throughout the day," the district said in an alert.

"Your cooperation is crucial in helping us manage our limited water resources during this time."

The district said crews are actively working to resolve the issue and residents will be updated as the situation develops.

Residents are advised to use water only for essential uses, including drinking and cooking, basic personal hygiene and toilet flushing. Residents are asked to avoid using water for lawn or garden watering, washing vehicles or running dishwashers or laundry machines.

BC Hydro said a planned mass power outage in the North Thompson is not responsible for the district's drained water supply.

The outage is scheduled to last from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

UPDATE: 1:35 p.m.

BC Hydro says their planned power outage in Clearwater is not responsible for the district's drained water reservoir.

Susan Edgell, BC Hydro community relations, says the District of Clearwater was informed about the BC Hydro's planned outage in mid-summer, and they've had time to prepare for the outage. She doesn't know what has gone wrong with the reservoir, but says BC Hydro was not responsible for the water issue.

Earlier Sunday, the District of Clearwater said their water reservoir was "completely drained" within an hour of the power going out.

But Edgell says "there's no connection between the Clearwater reservoir problem and the BC Hydro outage."

"Whatever's gone wrong, there's no connection to our outage," she said. "Whatever it is, it's on their end, it's not a BC Hydro created problem."

The district of Clearwater said in a statement Sunday morning that "crews are working to identify the cause of this significant water loss."

ORIGINAL: 10:30 a.m.

A boil water advisory has been issued for the district of Clearwater after water reservoirs that feed the community were drained while in the midst of a mass power outage Sunday morning.

Prior to the outage at 7 a.m., the district said staff were monitoring water reservoir levels, which were at 80 per cent.

“Unfortunately, within an hour of the power going out, the reservoir was fully drained,” an alert from the district states.

“Crews are working to identify the cause of this significant water loss. At present, the gravity-fed fresh water intake is maintaining water pressure in the system, but we caution that it may not last throughout the day.”

Residents are being advised that any water used for drinking, cooking or brushing teeth should be boiled for at least one minute. The water can be used for washing and bathing.

Residents may experience a complete loss of water pressure later in the day.

An emergency operations centre has been activated at the Clearwater Fire Hall and is equipped with generator power and Starlink internet access.

The planned power outage is scheduled to last from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. and is affecting around 14,000 BC Hydro customers in the North Thompson.