Water Quality Advisory

Alert level

Low

Water Quality Advisory Update

Further to the Water Quality Advisory issued on July 7, 2026, for elevated manganese levels in the Town's drinking water system, the advisory remains in effect.

Town staff continue to monitor the water system and work closely with Interior Health to ensure water quality meets all applicable guidelines.

An update will be provided as soon as new information becomes available.

Water Quality Advisory

Town staff continue to monitor the water system and work closely with Interior Health to ensure water quality meets all applicable guidelines.

An update will be provided as soon as new information becomes available.

The Town of Osoyoos is issuing a Water Quality Advisory for elevated manganese levels affecting all users connected to the Town water system. The advisory remains in effect until further notice.

This advisory applies to water users in RDOS Area A (Systems 8 and 9) who receive their water through the Town of Osoyoos water system.

Manganese in the water supply has been measured between 0.125-0.159 mg/L which exceeds Health Canada’s Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) of 0.12mg/L. According to Health Canada, increased levels of manganese may contribute to adverse health effects on the nervous system, especially in infants.

Who may need additional protection from manganese?
-Infants and young children
-People wishing to seek additional protection

What is a Water Quality Advisory?
A Water Quality Advisory is a level of notification to advise water users of a potential chemical or physical risk. A Water Quality Advisory is used in situations where the general public health threat is modest.

Precautionary Instructions
Residents are advised to use an alternate safe source of drinking water (i.e. bottle water) for preparing baby formula for infants and young children during this time. Note, boiling water will not remove the manganese and may increase the concentration, therefore, it is not recommended.

Residents may observe increased discoloration or sediment in the water during this time. If you experience dirty water, run your cold water taps only and/or garden hose until the water runs clear. In addition, residents should check the water quality before laundering of clothing during this time to minimize potential staining or discoloration.

Business owners and operators (including restaurants, accommodation providers, and public facilities) are responsible for notifying their customers of the Water Quality Advisory. A printable Water Quality Advisory Notice is available for businesses and public facilities to download and display. Click here to download

Questions or concerns please contact Operational Services at 250-495-6213 or pubworks@osoyoos.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Health Canada determine the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) for manganese?

The MAC is based on animal studies and includes safety factors to ensure even sensitive individuals are protected. Concentrations approaching, but remaining less than, the MAC are not associated with increased health risks in individuals. Health Canada calculated the MAC assuming that people would be constantly exposed to elevated levels of manganese for long periods of time. Occasionally consuming water with manganese concentrations slightly greater than the MAC is unlikely to cause any health issues. Health Canada has adopted a precautionary approach due to the limitations on the available information. Manganese concentrations greater than the guideline are only representative of a potential risk to health, but do not represent measurable health impacts.

What are the health effects of manganese?

People who are exposed to high levels of manganese can develop manganese toxicity. The primary target of manganese toxicity is the central nervous system, followed by the reproductive system. There is no evidence to conclude that detectable differences in health will be present at concentrations less than the MAC, the available evidence does suggest that measurable neurological impacts may be possible when infants and children are chronically exposed to manganese concentrations greater than the MAC. New evidence has shown that consuming drinking water with high levels of manganese may impact the memory, attention, motor function, and the overall intellectual development of infants and young children. The high degree of uncertainty and limitations of available information, the guideline of 0.12 mg/L should be interpreted as being protective of ongoing exposure to all infants relying solely on formula made with tap water. Health impacts in other human groups with decreased exposure or sensitivity might not be significant until drinking water concentrations are much higher.

Can I be exposed to manganese through skin contact?

Can I boil the water to remove the manganese?

What can I do to reduce my exposure to manganese?

For more information visit:

Health Canada: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada.html

Active Water Quality Advisories: www.drinkingwaterforeveryone.ca