There has been a “major failure” at a well in Merritt, B.C., prompting the city to ask residents to stop all non-essential water use.
The city said in a statement that the failure is in the Voght well and affects the city’s water distribution system.
It said residents of the city, which number around 7,000, need to conserve water by all means possible so it can maintain its fire protection services.
No lawn watering is permitted until a pump is repaired.
The city says its water remains potable and asks that residents be patient while repairs are underway.
A heat warning remains in place in the southern Interior, including for the Merritt area, with daytime highs expected to reach the low 40s through the end of the week.
The well failure comes after the City of Merritt announced water restrictions in April — much earlier than usual — in an effort to conserve water before wildfire season and get residents in the habit of using less.
In previous years, the city has fined people who haven’t followed watering restrictions. But this spring, officials said they would shut off homeowners’ water if they didn’t follow the rules.