The people of Merritt are getting ready to head back to their city, a week after the community was evacuated due to destructive flooding.

Merritt is beginning to roll out its return to home plan, set to be released on Monday.

The city says it’s very close to bringing its waste water treatment plant back online — a key step in getting people back home.

“Bringing Merrittonians home has been our first priority and we will be able to bring some of you home in the next few days. We will be extending this across more of the city as soon as we can,” Mayor Linda Brown said in video posted to Facebook Sunday.

Mass sewage back ups and rising water levels prompted the evacuation order for the city of about 7,000 people on Monday.

Flooding also washed out bridges and roads, as levels on the Coldwater River rose quickly.

Brown says the city continues to run tests on drinking water in Merritt but admits they take time to complete.

“We’re driving [samples] over to Kelowna to the laboratory, which is staying open on the weekend, especially for us. We’re bringing in extra resources to get this done. The results so far are good, but we need to bring more of the system online,” she continued.

“Every day brings us a little bit closer to rebuilding our community,” the mayor added.

An assessment has been done on each property and residents will find out what shape their home is in over the coming days, with some undoubtedly set to discover extensive damage to houses and other structures due to floods.

“All properties have now received a placard indicating a red, yellow, or green status. As of tomorrow, Nov. 22, residents will be able to find out what placard their property received and what it means,” Brown explained.

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• People in evacuated Merritt urged to stay in after dark

• From fires to floods: Merritt, B.C. evacuated for the second time in recent months

• ‘They’ve lost everything’: Merritt family loses girl to crash days after leaving flooded city

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The evacuations caused by flooding came just months after the entire community of Merritt was put on notice due to raging wildfires. While not all properties were evacuated, many have stressed the mental toll the situation had on those who remained is not something to be overlooked.

However, with people set to return to Merritt after this latest natural disaster, Brown says the community is looking ahead to recovery.

“I was honoured to attend a ceremony this morning with the Coldwater Indian Band in Centennial Park,” she recalled. “This was part of the process of temporarily returning the Coldwater River to its old course. The chief and elders offered prayers to the river on this traditional land, and bearing witness to this brought me hope for the days and weeks ahead.”

She’s extending her thanks to the province for the help offered, including financial assistance for evacuees.

Brown is also thankful to first responders, city staff, and volunteers who have been working with the goal of getting people back into their homes.

“I know this is a trying time, but please be patient, be kind, and check Merritt.ca or our Facebook page for the most up-to-date information,” she concluded.

People forced out of Merritt have since found shelter at emergency centres in Kamloops and Kelowna, as well as elsewhere, some with family and friends.

Evacuations were further complicated in some instances by road closures, with mudslides taking out most of B.C.’s major Highways between the Lower Mainland and the Interior.

Abbotsford floodgates fully open

Meanwhile, there’s been some good news for people in and around Abbotsford, where floodgates have been able to fully open.

Mayor Henry Braun said Sunday water is now flowing straight from the Sumas River into the Fraser, with water levels dropping in parts of the Sumas Prairie. He said dike repairs were also progressing well.

However, he admits the situation continues to evolve and that flood levels need to drop further to support repairs.

With more rain in the forecast this week, many communities, including Abbotsford, are bracing for potential impacts to progress made so far. Braun also announced the local state of emergency in his city was being extended at least another week.