Water reservoir in Clearwater drained due to data system being intentionally shut off; police investigating
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CLEARWATER, B.C. — A police file is open in the District of Clearwater as it’s believed a portion of the data system that controls the water reservoir was intentionally shut off.
Speaking to CFJC Today Tuesday (Oct. 8) morning, Clearwater Mayor Merlin Blackwell says the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system was turned off after 9:00 p.m. Saturday before a planned 12-hour power outage by BC Hydro. He says the water metres looked good when district staff looked the following morning but then they received calls from residents about no water flowing.
“It’s not a breaker that can be tripped. It would have had to be intentionally pulled,” Blackwell says. “That would not be something an animal or any other beings other than a human hand can hold.”
The data system is now running and the pumps have refilled the water reservoir in Clearwater, but the district is still awaiting water sample results from Interior Health due to sections of pipe not having water in them. Blackwell says residents may notice colour in their water, but they are sediments that are not harmful, although they’ll still need to follow the boil water advisory.
