CITY – Repair work moving slowly on break in east Kamloops water line

Work was continuing this morning (May 13, 2026) on the east Kamloops water system in an effort to restore service following a water-line break discovered Sunday..

The City said crews would be opening hydrants in various locations throughout the impacted area to allow air to escape the system and re-pressurize as water refills reservoirs.

“While this may feel counterintuitive when residents have been asked to cease water use, it is a critical part of restoring water service. Impacted residents must continue to avoid using water until further notice,” an early morning social media post from City Hall said.

Alerts were being issued to impacted properties through the VoyantAlert! system. Different pressure zones were expected to experience different impacts as the system comes back online.

Public washrooms in the east end of the city were closed Tuesday until further notice and impacted residents were asked to cease all water use until further notice. The City threatened to enter any property using water and shut it off, with the possibility of fines being issued.

Water stations providing water for non-potable use were set up at locations in Valleyview, Juniper Park, Dallas Park, Todd Hill Park, Rose Hill Park and the B.C. Wildlife Park.

School District 73 said today R.L. Clemitson elementary in Barnhartvale was still without running water but service has returned to Dallas, Ralph Bell, Juniper Ridge and Marion Schilling elementaries, and Valleyview secondary, with regular classes re-starting today.

The break in the line has been isolated and repairs continue. Some 7,500 homes and 19,000 residents have been affected. Once service is restored, some areas will be under boil water advisories or do-not-consume notices.

The City says it could take several days for things to return to normal.