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TNRD removes sand from Vavenby’s well

To help the crew in removing the sand from the well, a special “shovel” was created
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Photo shows a special scoop fabricated by TNRD staff in order to remove sand from Vavenby’s well recently.

By Robyn Rexin

There has been an update on the Vavenby’s water system.

Vavenby residents were phoned by Thompson-Nicola Regional District’s communication provider on Tuesday, Oct. 10 to let them know that all of the sand was now out of the wet well, the temporary pump in the North Thompson River was still in use, but that the boil water notice was still in effect.

READ MORE: TNRD restores Vavenby water

The TNRD hopes that the notice can be downgraded once the system is working normally and as winter nears because the turbidity of the water usually clears up at that time of the year.

To help the crew with the arduous task of removing the sand from the well, a special “shovel” was created. Its handle could be extended to 18 feet long. The sand was completely gone by the day of the phone call.

A crane truck will arrive in Vavenby sometime this week. It well reinstall the temporary pump into the wet well. When done both pumps will “return to normal operating mode.”

The cause of the extra sand in the well is still being looked into. It is felt that more evaluation will be needed to see if there is an additional problem.

Two more leaks in the water lines that helped contribute to the town’s problem have been repaired.

Vavenby was without water for two days in late September due to unusually high water consumption plus sand causing the pumps to overheat and then burn out.

Water use was restored but problems persist.

During a meeting held Oct. 12, the TNRD board of directors voted to approve $14,000 of federal Gas Tax money to fund a transfer switch plus minor upgrades for the Vavenby water system.

According to Carol Schaffer, the TNRD director for Area A (Wells Gray Country) the switch will allow the pump to be transferred to a backup generator if the power should fail.

Snow and crazy hats

There was snow on the ground in Vavenby on the morning of Friday the 13th and the hills were covered with a dusting.

It was Crazy Hat Day at the primary school. Nearly every student made one.

On that Friday there was a meeting of the Vavenby Trails and Recreation Society. Members present decided to hold a breakfast for the community sometime in November. It will take place at the hall, probably on a Sunday morning starting early.

There will be a Hallowe’en party at the hall again this year. The Vavenby crib club donated $150 towards the event.

The first community potluck luncheon of the season at Vavenby’s church will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Everyone is welcome. Future luncheons are held on the last Wednesday of every month.

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Students at Vavenby Elementary School show off the crazy hats they created recently. Pictured are (back) teacher Adam Forsyth, (middle, l-r) Ethan Meidl, Logan Klingbeil-Tutt, Nathaniel Weber, Cate-Lin Tourond, Kelsey Rexin, Charlie MacDonald Jones, Olivia Deglow, Isabell Stein, Eric Jack, Jacob Klingbeil-Tutt, and (front) Moira Chrystal.