Residents of a small community on the shore of "Shuswap" Lake were advised to boil water before using it.

The Columbia-Shuswap Regional District issued a water notice for users of the Sorrento water system on Friday evening, citing elevated turbidity levels in the water.

The water system serves the Sorrento community about 25 kilometers west of Salmon Arm and 75 kilometers east of Kamloops along the Trans-Canada Highway.

The regional district said in a statement that the water is experiencing high turbidity levels in surface sources due to seasonal climate changes causing excessive runoff, flooding, or lake turnover.

"High levels of water turbidity may reduce the effectiveness of the treatment system, allowing disease-causing microorganisms to enter the water distribution system, increasing the risk of gastrointestinal illnesses.

"All water system users are advised to boil water for at least one minute before using it for drinking, food preparation, or dental hygiene.

Alternatively, users can add two drops of household bleach per liter of water as it contains chlorine that kills germs and disinfects the water or use bottled water.

Water system users are also advised to contact the CSRD Utilities Department at 888-248-2773 or Interior Health at 250-851-7340 for more information.