Buildings within the Town boundaries are hooked up to sewers. Waste material from these sewers travel via underground pipes to the sewage treatment plant near the golf course at the Fairview Hills development area. Treated effluent from the plant is used to water the golf course and nearby fields.

In 2005 work was completed to connect sewers to most of the east Lakeshore Drive area. Areas yet to be connected are:
North-west sector of the lake, from Lacey Point to Willow Beach
South-west sector from Haynes Point to the US border
East bench and south end of Lakeshore Drive.

In the summer of 2006 the Town failed in its attempt to obtain agreement by residents for town expansion in the north-west sector. The Town had made boundary expansion a condition for obtaining sewers in that area. In October the Town issued a press release saying that it will now hire a consulting firm to “undertake a special study on the properties around the lake to determine the scope of water issues and the extent and effect of the sewerage systems on the lake.”

There is strong feeling in the community that getting sewers around the lake should not be tied to boundary expansion and that other alternatives are available.

The Osoyoos Lake Water Quality Society would like to see sewers connected wherever development exists around the lake, as septic systems have long been identified as a major source of pollution in the lake. Many of the septic systems are old – even made of wood – or are situated too close to the water’s edge.
However, there is concern among members that Town expansion would lead to development of the land in these areas (much of which is currently in the ALR) and subsequent loss of the natural lakeshore.