Water

Water for the Village of Burns Lake is derived from 3 deep wells located on Gerow Island.  Water is pumped to the high lift station where it is chlorinated.  From there it is pumped to three towers, two on 5^th Avenue and one on Woyenne Reserve.  From the 5^th Avenue tower water is boosted in pressure and travels to the ends of the avenues and streets above Carroll Street.  The rest of the water is gravity fed from the towers, down hill to the main streets.

On average Burns Lake pumps 1100 cubic meters of water per day and this amount significantly spikes in summer due to lawn watering.

In 2020, construction began on Burns Lake’s first water treatment plant.  This project would not have been possible without the financial collaboration between the Village of Burns Lake, Lake Babine Nation, Burns Lake Band and the provincial and federal governments.  The water treatment plant will be online by spring of 2021.

Summer Watering

Fresh, clean water is a precious commodity and the Village of Burns Lake wants to conserve it. Water Restrictions are enforced within the Village of Burns Lake between May 15 and September 15. The use of large quantities of water for lawn, garden, vehicle washing and other domestic puposes only are permitted daily between 7 am and 11 am and 7 pm and 11 pm according to the following schedule:

• Residents whose homes have odd house numbers will be permitted to water on odd numbered days.
• Even numbered houses may water on even numbered days.
• Light hand watering is permitted at anytime for new lawns, flowers and gardens.

For more information, please contact the Village Office at 250 692-7587.

Storm Water

Storm water is collected through a series of open ditches and culverts.  Storm water flows into storm pipes and manholes on Highway 16 and is eventually dispersed through an open ditch system.

Solid Waste Disposal

Solid waste is collected once per week for residential and twice per week for commercial.  After the purchase of a new garbage lift system and garbage truck the Village of Burns Lake implemented a new bylaw requiring all residents and businesses to utilize the new bins compatible with the new truck.  This will speed up the collection process and ensure the health and safety of the Public Works employees during this process.  The new cans are extremely durable and require a one time purchase from the Village of Burns Lake unless they are damaged in some way. 

Garbage Collection

Residential: Every Wednesday – be sure to have your garbage can at the curb by 7:00am

Commercial: Tuesday and Friday

Waste Collection Bylaw No 938 2013

The Regional District of the Bulkley-Nechako is responsible for solid waste and the transfer station.  Information can be obtained the on Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako website www.rdbn.bc.ca or by calling their office at 250-692-3195.

Sewer is collected through underground pipes, centralized in manholes, and flows to the lift station where it is pumped through two lines into Burns Lake lagoons. The retention length is approximately 8 days, unless there is significant extra flow due to infiltration.

Infiltration is generally caused by homes allowing their drains and sump pumps to flow into the sewer system, which is in contravention of the sewer bylaw. In addition snow runoff can infiltrate through manholes and access points which causes a significant increase to flow into the sewer lagoons during spring runoff. This results in increase costs due to the treatment process.

ROADS & STREETS

Highways 16 and 35, which are main arterial connectors, are maintained by the Province of British Columbia utilizing a private contractor.  The contractor is responsible for plowing, sanding, pothole repair, and general upkeep.  The Village of Burns Lake Public Works maintains the curbs, gutters, and underground infrastructure within the Highway 16 corridor.  All other roads and streets within municipal boundaries are maintained fully by the Village of Burns Lake Public Works crew. This includes snow removal, sanding, ditching, pavement patching, repair, and replacement.  Street lighting is a combination of the responsibility of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, BC Hydro, and the Village of Burns Lake.  To report a light outage within the municipal boundaries, please contact the Village Office.

Snow Removal

The Village of Burns Lake continually strives to provide the citizens of our community with an exceptional level of service in relation to the maintenance of our public thoroughfares, parking lots and pedestrian corridors during the winter months.

The clearing of municipal roads, streets, sidewalks, public parking lots and public open spaces by our public works department (under normal circumstances) will be undertaken in the following order of importance:

1. Hospital transportation corridor – Lorne Street from Highway #16 to 8^th Avenue, 8^th Avenue from Lorne Street to Centre Street and Center Street from 8^th Avenue to the Hospital.
2. Major municipal roadways: 8^th Avenue, 9^th Avenue, 5^th Avenue, Center Street, Hill Street, Carroll Street, 1^st Avenue, 3^rd Avenue and the 5^th Avenue/9^th Avenue connector.
3. Other municipal streets with significant road grades. Completion of 1^st Avenue, 2^nd Avenue, 3^rd Avenue, and 4^th Avenue (between Highway #16 and Center Street).
4. Downtown public parking lots.
5. Remaining municipal local streets and lanes.
6. Public sidewalks in business corridor.
7. Other public open space, as time and resources permit.

The Village of Burns Lake is responsible for the cemetery in perpetuity on behalf of the community. We take pride in sustaining the beauty and dignity of our cemetery, and we recognize the important contributions of individuals and families in the ongoing maintenance of the cemetery grounds.

The Cemetery is maintained on an ongoing basis, mainly in the summer, utilizing summer students. There are restrictions on types of stones that may be placed in the cemetery and we are continually updating mapping to ease in finding burial plots. Public works handles excavation of plots and reinstatement of covering, as well as lawn maintenance. The Village also maintains a columbarium for ashes.

For information on the cemetery and columbarium services and regulations, please review the Bylaw or call the Village Office.

All municipal buildings are maintained by the Village of Burns Lake either through public works or through private contractors. There are a number of municipal buildings and properties including shops, water booster stations, water supply station, lift station, blower house, chlorine house, municipal office, Interpretive Centre, Heritage Centre, Museum, Anglican Church, playschool, and the public works foreman house.