Untreated wastewater discharges from the wastewater collection system to the river system:
| Date |
Location |
Estimated
discharge |
Estimated
duration |
Cause |
Incident details and response |
| Mar 4 |
1178 A Kildonan Drive (Hawthorne Lift Station) |
4,950 litres |
About 43 minutes |
Water main break |
- On the morning of March 4, water from a water main break flooded into the combined sewer, and from there to the Hawthorne sewage pumping station. The volume of water exceeded the pump station pumps capacity, causing a discharge to the Red River.
- A high level alarm was received from the Hawthorne station at 5:02 am.
- A crew, on site by 5:30 am, had the overflow gates fully closed by 5:42 pm to prevent further discharge to the river.
- The incident was reported on March 4 to Manitoba Conservation’s Environmental Accident Reporting Line as well as to Environment Canada.
|
| Mar 3 |
Riverbend Lift Station (1740 Portage Ave.) |
5,000 litres |
About 1 hour, 45 minutes |
Power outage in the St. James area |
- A power failure alarm was received at 11:15 pm.
- A crew, on site by 12:10 am, determined that the pumps weren’t working due to the power outage in the St. James area, and sewage was overflowing to the Assiniboine River.
- The crew had the overflow gates fully closed by 1:00 am to prevent further discharge to the river.
- Power was restored by 4:00 am.
- The gate was reopened once the lift station operations were fully restored at 4:40 am.
- The incident was reported on March 4 to Manitoba Conservation’s Environmental Accident Reporting Line as well as to Environment Canada.
|
| Feb. 26 |
1178 A Kildonan Drive (Hawthorne Lift Station) |
86,000 litres |
About 47 minutes |
Large water main break caused by a motor vehicle accident |
- On the morning of Feb. 26, a car hit a fire hydrant at 1301 Rothesay St., causing a large water main break. The water flooded into the combined sewer, and from there to the Hawthorne sewage pumping station. The large volume of water exceeded the pump station pumps capacity, causing a discharge to the Red River.
- A high level alarm was received from the Hawthorne station at 11:38 am.
- A crew, on site by noon, and had the overflow gates fully closed by 12:15 pm to prevent further discharge and began storing the sewage in the pipe system.
- By 12:30 pm, the maximum storage capacity had been reached and an overflow gate was opened for 10 minutes to reduce the risk of basement flooding.
- By 12:47 pm, the excess flow from the break had diminished and the station was back to normal operation.
- The incident was reported on Feb. 26 to Manitoba Conservation’s Environmental Accident Reporting Line as well as to Environment Canada. The Winnipeg Police Harbor Master was contacted to install “Danger Thin Ice” signs in the vicinity of the outfall pipe.
|
| Feb. 18 |
25 De La Digue Ave (St. Norbert Lift Station) |
6,400 litres |
About 22 minutes |
Sewage pumps temporarily not working |
- On Feb. 18 at about 1:04 p.m., a high level alarm was received from the St. Norbert lift station.
- A crew was on site by 1:45 p.m. and found that an air compressor hose line, which regulates pump control, had become detached from the pumps.
- The crew reconnected the hose line and the station resumed normal operations by 1:47 p.m.
- The incident was reported on Feb. 18 to Manitoba Conservation’s Environmental Accident Reporting Line as well as to Environment Canada.
|
| Jan. 26 |
McDermot outfall at the Red River |
unknown |
2 days intermittently |
Partially blocked combined sewer |
- On Jan. 26 at about 2:00 P.M., a crew responded to an odour complaint around 177 McDermot.
- The crew investigated and found a partially blocked combined sewer which was causing a small sewage discharge over a weir to the storm relief sewer outfall pipe.
- The crew flushed the combined sewer, cleared the partial blockage, and levels returned to normal.
- The crew returned the following day at 8:30 a.m. and again observed a small sewage discharge at the same location.
- The crew flushed a more extensive area and levels in the combined sewer returned to normal.
- The crew closed the gate on the storm relief outfall sewer as a precaution against further discharges and the sewer will be monitored to ensure the partial blockage does not re-occur.
- The incident was reported on Jan. 27 to Manitoba Conservation’s Environmental Accident Reporting Line as well as to Environment Canada.
|
| Jan. 18 |
Burrows Avenue at the Red River |
unknown |
8 days |
Two partial sewer blockages |
- On Jan. 18., a small flow of clear water was observed draining from the storm relief sewer outfall pipe on Burrows Avenue at the Red River.
- It was determined that the flow was likely due to either groundwater or a very slow water main leak, based on the low volume and clear appearance of the water.
- A water sample was taken on Jan. 19 for lab analysis.
- Inspections were conducted (i.e., water pipes, manholes) to determine the cause and there were no signs of sewage inflow to the storm relief sewer.
- The lab analysis was available on Jan. 24 and showed the presence of bacteria typical of sewage.
- The sewer outfall gate was closed at 11:30 am on Jan. 25, preventing further discharge.
- The flow started to increase and crews continued their investigations.
- They discovered and cleared two partial sewer blockages that were causing sewage overflow from the combined sewer system to the storm relief sewer system.
- The gate will remain closed until the storm relief sewer is pumped out and it is verified no additional flow is coming into the outfall pipe.
- Incident reported to Manitoba Conservation, Manitoba Environmental Accident Reporting Line and Environment Canada.
|
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