Storm puts Lions Bay in extreme water shortage

The Village of Lions Bay is under extreme water restrictions after both of the municipality’s water intakes went offline in last night’s storm.

“The intakes are completely shut off. We’re not taking on any new water. We’re existing on solely what is in our tanks and we anticipate that will be completely exhausted sometime this afternoon,” Lions Bay chief administrative officer Mandy Koonts said Thursday morning.

The village has set up and emergency operations centre and called in a helicopter to take staff up to the water intakes. So far, they are working on the assumption that debris knocked loose in last night’s storm is clogged in intakes.

“The degree of damage and the stability of the site is severe enough that public works crews are not currently able to access by foot due to safety concerns,” Koonts said in an earlier email.

Lions Bay residents are asked to call 604-834-3404 for updates during the water crisis.
Blockwatch groups are out knocking on doors, distributing information and asking residents to only use water when absolutely necessary, Koonts said.

Elementary students from Lions Bay Community School have been sent to Gleneagles Ch'axáý elementary in West Vancouver for the day, according to West Vancouver school district spokeswoman Bev Pausche.

“There will be staff on hand. There’s a multipurpose room and the gym. Thirty students isn’t a lot and we can manage that,” she said.