PRV Construction

Oct. 10, 2025: Anticipate possible traffic delays during water system upgrades

Feb. 24, 2025: Work ready to begin to conduct water system upgrades

Jan. 28, 2025: Upcoming construction project will ensure reliable access to tap water

Jan. 23, 2025: Letter sent to residents in the immediate area

The following map indicates the location of the pipe installation. 

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Duncan Avenue Reservoir

Viewed from Kensington Avenue at Edgewood Drive, looking up the hill toward Duncan Avenue.

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The City of Penticton is replacing aging domestic water infrastructure on Kensington Street, Penticton Avenue, and adjacent to Duncan Avenue in the Park.

This major construction project includes installing a new pressure reducing valve (PRV) inside an existing building located within the Duncan Avenue Reservoir. Treated water from the Water Treatment Plant will feed into this PRV before being distributed to the community. 

Impact

This work will impact residents living in the area surrounding the Duncan Avenue Reservoir greenspace. It will require major excavation along a section of Kensington Avenue, between Penticton Avenue and Edgewood Drive. 

In addition, most the trails within the greenspace between Edgewood Drive and Duncan Avenue / Ridgedale Avenue will be closed for the public’s safety during construction. The stairs and path between Ridgedale Avenue and Debeck Road will remain open to the public. 

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The current infrastructure has reached its end of life, with old pipes and a pressure reducing valve (PRV) that’s located in an area that makes it challenging to maintain. As such, if the aging PRV or surrounding pipes were to fail, it would mean turning off water to 70 per cent of Penticton’s water customers until a repair is made.

This $8.1 million project will involve relocating the PRV to take advantage of an existing facility, replace a section of aging transmission pipe, upgrade pipes to maintain water quality and increase redundancy. This connection also allows for the PRV to be taken offline for maintenance without any service interruptions to domestic water customers.

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Work will be scheduled to be completed during the months of February and November. The detailed construction schedule will be updated in the timeline section of this webpage. 

The contractor is expected to start work at 7 a.m. and finish by 5 p.m. each day, Monday to Friday. However, there is a significant amount of work to be completed in a tight schedule and work might extend later into the evening and/or on weekends. Regardless, they must adhere to the City’s Good Neighbour Bylaw around noise restrictions no matter which day they work.

Kensington Avenue: To ensure your safety, no. During work hours, due to the nature of the infrastructure that needs to be installed, with major excavation and heavy machinery, the road will be closed to through traffic.  Local access will be restored at the end of each working day, but through traffic will not be permitted until the underground pipe installation is finished.   

Duncan Avenue: Yes, there should be very little impact to Duncan Avenue during construction.

Ridgedale Avenue: Yes, there should be very little impact to Ridgedale Avenue during construction.

Penticton Avenue: Penticton Avenue will be closed to traffic occasionally at the intersection of Kensington and Penticton Avenue.  Detour routes will be available.  

For everyone's safety, parking cannot take place during the working hours on Kensington Street within the work zone while the project is in progress.

There will be water service disruptions throughout this project on Kensington Street. The City and the Contractor will work diligently to minimize the impacts of these disruptions. You will be provided with 48 hours’ notice of any planned disruption of water service. We are committed to providing you notice of any interruption where it can be anticipated and will provide information and updates as soon as possible in the event of an unplanned problem.

City staff are working with BC Transit to ensure that normal bus services are maintained throughout the project. However, traffic detours will be required at times, with full details posted to BC Transit's website. 

While the City has taken every step possible to minimize the impact to trees, approximately eight trees must be removed within the reservoir area to allow for construction. The trees will be replaced with plantings in excess of those removed.

Most the trails within the greenspace between Edgewood Drive and Duncan Avenue / Ridgedale Avenue will be closed for the public’s safety during construction. The stairs and path between Ridgedale Avenue and Debeck Road will remain open to the public. 

If you have questions, contact the Engineering Department at 250-490-2500 during City Yards business hours (7.30 a.m. until 3:15 p.m., Monday to Friday). The Contractor will also deliver notices directly to residents and businesses providing further contact information.