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Water and Waste Department

Reports on untreated sewage

As requested by the Province of Manitoba, we report on the incidents of untreated sewer release into the environment as a result of a disruption to our wastewater collection system. These events are usually the result of something unanticipated like a water main break or a power outage. When sewer operations are disrupted, the sewage can be released into the environment, which helps protect public health and prevent property damage like basement flooding.

2018

Date Location Estimated
amount		 Estimated
duration		 Cause
Dec. 10 1600 mm storm relief sewer outfall located at Osborne Street and Churchill Drive 0.010 megalitres Approx. 4 hours Blocked Sewer
Incident details and response
  • On Monday, December 10, 2018 at 9:54 AM, Wastewater Services received a report of clean water sewer back-up at a Nassau Street South address.
  • The crew arrived at 11:00 AM and soon discovered that a wastewater sewer on Beresford was blocked and was overflowing a weir at the intersection of Beresford and Nassau Street S. Once over the weir, wastewater was flowing into the adjacent storm relief sewer and then unobstructed to the Red River, near the intersection of Osborne Street and Churchill Drive.
  • After discovering the overflow, the crew called for a vacuum cleaning unit to come to the site. The cleaning crew arrived at 1:00 PM and immediately began to clean the wastewater sewer downstream of the overflow location. The overflow stopped at 1:50 PM.
  • A follow-up video inspection has been scheduled to determine the cause of the blockage and whether further work is required to help prevent future blockages at this location.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River from the time the report was received is estimated to be 0.010 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Monday, December 10, 2018.
Nov. 29 2890mm storm relief sewer outfall located at 1020 Palmerston Avenue 0.003 megalitres Unknown Blocked Sewer
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday November 29 at 2:45 PM, a Wastewater Services Maintenance Crew was performing a routine inspection on the combined sewer overflow weir located 1106 Downing Street.
  • The crew noticed wastewater overtopping the weir and discharging into the adjacent storm relief sewer, then to the Aubrey Street SRS Outfall and finally into the Assiniboine River.
  • It was determined that the wastewater sewer downstream of the overflow weir on Downing was fully or partially blocked. A vacuum cleaning unit was called in to clear the blockage and the overflow stopped at 4:10 PM. The crew remained on site cleaning downstream of the weir to ensure that the sewer was completely free of obstructions.
  • The volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River from the time the overflow was discovered is estimated to be 0.003 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Wednesday, November 29, 2018.
  • These inspections are done regularly at targeted locations to ensure the system is performing as designed and that wastewater discharges to the environment are kept to a minimum. To help prevent further overflow occurrences at this location, the overflow weir will be raised to improve flow conditions that will flush debris downstream towards the treatment plant.
Nov. 23 1950 mm Storm Relief Sewer Outfall located at Donald Street and Assiniboine River 0.001 megalitres Unknown Unknown
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday November 21, 2018 we reported finding wastewater flowing into the Donald Storm Relief Sewer (SRS) from an overflow manhole on the combined sewer on Kennedy Street at Graham Avenue.
  • At the time the sewer was cleaned to clear a blockage and a follow-up CCTV inspection was scheduled to review the condition of the sewer and to determine if additional work orders or repairs were required. This inspection occurred on Friday, November 23 and upon arrival at 11:45 AM the inspection crew noticed wastewater again overflowing into the Donald SRS.
  • Our crew cleaned the wastewater sewer downstream of the overflow with a vacuum cleaning unit and, with the help of the CCTV crew, confirmed that all debris was removed from the pipe. The overflow stopped at 12:05 PM.
  • They found that the sewer was dirty with silt but there were no large obstructions or other obvious defects that were causing the overflows. The crew indicated that after cleaning the sewer the flow was still only 50mm below the weir.
  • Following the CCTV inspection, it was decided that the overflow weir should be raised by an additional 150mm. Raising the weir will prevent the accumulation of debris and reduce the chances of future overflows caused by debris at this location. The work to raise the weir was completed on Saturday, November 24, 2018.
  • The volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River from the time the overflow was discovered is estimated to be 0.001 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Tuesday November 20, 2018.
Nov. 19 Donald Storm Relief Sewer Outfall 0.15 megalitres Unknown Blocked Sewer
Incident details and response
  • On Monday November 19, 2018 at approximately 1:30 PM, a maintenance crew performing a routine inspection at the Donald Storm Relief Sewer Outfall noticed more flow than usual. The discharge appeared to be groundwater, which is known to continually discharge from this outfall pipe. Given the increased amount of flow, however, crews suspected that some other source may be contributing and decided to investigate further by searching throughout the entire sewer district.
  • At approx. 9:55 AM on November 20, 2108, a wastewater overflow was discovered at a manhole located in the south-east corner of the intersection of Kennedy Street and Graham Avenue. The combined sewer on Kennedy Street was found to be blocked with debris downstream of the intersection.
  • The blockage caused wastewater to back up and overflow into a storm relief sewer, eventually flowing to the Donald Street Sewer Outfall. A vacuum cleaning unit was immediately called in to clear the blockage and flow was returned to normal at 11:10 AM.
  • This location will be reviewed for possible future preventative maintenance work orders or modifications to the overflow weir or both. In addition we will be inspecting commercial property grease traps in the area to ensure they are being properly maintained.
  • The volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River from the time the overflow was discovered is estimated to be 0.15 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Tuesday November 20, 2018.
Nov. 16 1800mm combined sewer outfall located at 200 Syndicate Street 0.01 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Broken hydrant
Incident details and response
  • On Friday, November 16 at 5:30 PM, our Wastewater Services SCADA Operator noticed high flows at the Syndicate Wastewater Pumping Station.
  • A standby maintenance crew was dispatched and arrived on site at 6:20 PM. The crew noticed wastewater spilling out the outfall and proceeded to close the outfall slide gate. The gate was fully closed and the flow was contained at 6:40 PM.
  • The crew began to search for the cause of the excessive flows at the station. They found a broken hydrant, one block away on Stephens Street. Water from the broken hydrant was entering the combined sewer through the street catch basins.
  • A Water Services crew was immediately dispatched and the hydrant leak was contained by 7:30 PM. At 8:43 PM, the station overflow alarms cleared and the outfall slide gate was opened. The station was back to normal operation at 9:10 PM.
  • The volume of diluted wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.01 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Friday, November 16, 2018.
Nov. 15 2750mm storm relief sewer outfall located at the intersection of Spence Street and the Assiniboine River 0.005 megalitres Approx. 25 minutes Blocked sewer
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, November 15 at 10:20 AM, a Wastewater Services Maintenance Crew was performing a routine inspection on the combined sewer overflow weir located on Maryland Street, north of St. Matthews Avenue.
  • They noticed wastewater overtopping the weir and discharging into the adjacent storm relief sewer where it could eventually flow to the Spence Street outfall and discharge to the Assiniboine River.
  • At the time of the inspection, the cause of the overflow was not immediately apparent so a maintenance crew proceeded to close the outfall slide gate stopping the overflow to the river at 10:45 AM.
  • After further investigation, it was determined that the wastewater sewer on Maryland was blocked.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit cleared the blockage by 11:35 AM. Debris was also vacuumed out of the outfall gate chamber and the slide gate was opened at 7:30 PM.
  • The volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River from the time the overflow was discovered is estimated to be 0.005 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Thursday November 15, 2018.
Nov. 6 1650mm combined sewer outfall located at 6 Lyndale Drive 0.60 megalitres Approx. 10 minutes Missing weir wall
Incident details and response
  • At 10:35 AM on Tuesday, November 6, a Wastewater Services Maintenance Crew was performing routine maintenance on the overflow weir at the Marion Lift Station. They noticed wastewater overtopping the weir and discharging to the Red River. At the time, it was not apparent what the cause of the overflow was. Crews closed the outfall slide gate to stop the overflow at 10:45 AM.
  • Crews determined that the top portion of the weir assembly was missing. Since the top portion of the weir was missing, the alarms at this location did not alert us to the wasterwater overflow.
  • Based on our records, we can see that flow continued to be diverted for treatment throughout the summer months, aside from peak flow times, which may have led to discharges to the river. This was because the pressure from the higher river levels was enough to keep the flap gate closed and prevent wastewater from discharging. Lower river levels in the fall decreased the pressure against the flap gate, which allowed it to open. This, combined with the failed weir, allowed for wastewater to discharge to the river. Further investigation suggests that the date we lost pressure was the morning of October 25, 2018.
  • The weir was last attended to by maintenance crews in the spring of 2018 and no deficiencies were noted at that time.
  • The volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River for the period of October 25 to November 6, 2018 is estimated to be 0.60 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Tuesday November 6, 2018.
Oct. 25 1800mm combined sewer outfall located at 200 Syndicate Street 0.04 megalitres Approx. 45 minutes Contractor error
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, October 25 at 1:45 PM, Wastewater Services was notified that a contractor working on a water main renewal for the City of Winnipeg had accidentally damaged a live water main resulting in the discharge of potable water into the combined sewer system near the intersection of Mordaunt Street and Higgins Avenue.
  • At 2:05 PM, flows in the wastewater collection system overwhelmed the pumps at the Syndicate Street Wastewater Lift Station, breached the diversion weir to the lift station and began to discharge to the Red River.
  • A maintenance crew was dispatched immediately and arrived at the Syndicate Street combined sewer outfall at approximately 2:15 PM.
  • The crew proceeded to close the outfall slide gate (2:30 PM) and monitored levels in the system in the event of additional flow coming to the station.
  • The discharge stopped at 2:30 PM, by 3:15 PM the Syndicate Combined Lift Station had returned to normal operation and the outfall slide gate was opened.
  • The volume of diluted wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.04 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Thursday, October 25, 2018.
Oct. 16 1800mm combined sewer outfall located at 200 Syndicate Street 0.06 megalitres Approx. 30 minutes Contractor error
Incident details and response
  • On Tuesday, October 16, 2018 at 8:25 AM, Wastewater Services was notified that a contractor working on a water main renewal for the City of Winnipeg had accidentally discharged a significant amount of potable water into the combined sewer system near the intersection of Curtis Street and Higgins Avenue.
  • At 8:30 AM flows in the wastewater collection system overwhelmed the pumps at the Syndicate Street Wastewater Lift Station, breached the diversion weir to the lift station and began to discharge to the Red River.
  • A maintenance crew was dispatched and arrived at the Syndicate Street combined sewer outfall at 8:50 AM. The crew proceeded to close the outfall slide gate and monitored levels in the system in the event of additional flow coming to the station.
  • The discharge stopped at 9:00 AM, by 9:30 AM the Syndicate Combined Lift Station had returned to normal operation and the outfall slide gate was opened.
  • The volume of diluted wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.06 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Tuesday, October 16, 2018.
Oct. 15 450mm Land Drainage Sewer Outfall located at 30 Coleridge Park Drive 20 litres 5 days Damaged land drainage sewer and private service line
Incident details and response
  • On Monday October 15, 2018, a contractor working for the City of Winnipeg performing a planned inspection on a land drainage sewer located on Coleridge Park Drive noticed that the sewer was damaged and water from an unidentified source was entering the sewer intermittently at that location.
  • Further review by the Consultant in charge of the inspection project determined that a residential sewer service may be located directly above the damaged section of land drainage sewer (LDS) and was possibly periodically discharging wastewater into the LDS.
  • On October 18, 2018 Wastewater Services was directed to investigate and make a repair, if required, on the LDS and sewer service at this location.
  • A maintenance crew performed a visual inspection of the LDS outfall. The downstream manhole appeared to be dry and it was difficult to determine if there was any wastewater present.
  • On October 19, 2018, at 12 PM, a dye pack was flushed down the suspected residential service and it was determined that wastewater was in fact entering the LDS.
  • Emergency utility clearances were arranged and a repair was attempted on Saturday October 20, however the sewer service or the broken LDS pipe could not be located by the repair crew.
  • The LDS outfall has been blocked off and we will vacuum out any accumulated wastewater in order to prevent any further discharges. We are working with the property owner to have the sewer service traced and CCTV inspection performed. This will allow crews to determine the location and nature of this repair. Once confirmed we will make the necessary repairs to both the sewer service and LDS as soon as possible.
  • The amount wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River from when the leak was first observed to when the outfall was blocked off is estimated to be 20 litres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Friday October 19, 2018.
Oct. 15 500 mm St. Vital Bridge River Crossing located between Kingston Row and Churchill Drive Estimated 2 - 4 litres Approx. 2.5 hours Pipe leak
Incident details and response
  • On Monday, October 15 at approximately 11:37 AM, we received a report that wastewater was possibly leaking from the 500 mm river crossing pipe that is attached underneath the St Vital Bridge.
  • A contractor working on a condition assessment of the river crossing pipeline for the Department noticed dampness at a preselected inspection location after they had stripped the protective cladding and insulation from the pipe.
  • While further cleaning the exposed pipe, a small leak developed. The Contractor attempted to contain the leak and called the Department to deliver a repair clamp to the site. The clamp arrived at approximately 2:00 PM and the leak was stopped at 4:20 PM.
  • The Contractor also alerted City personnel on site that there was another possible leak at a location further upstream that was not in one of their preselected inspection locations but appeared to be occasionally dripping.
  • Due to the location of the suspected leak, a bridge inspection truck and traffic control was arranged for this morning, October 16, 2018. At 9:00 AM today maintenance personnel inspected the pipe and saw evidence of a leak however no wastewater was observed at that time. They could however hear air escaping from the pipeline and determined that there is a hole at this new location. Maintenance crews will be repairing this location tomorrow October 17, 2018 starting at 9:00 AM.
  • Based on observations from the Contractor and Department personnel, the volume of wastewater discharged from the time of discovery until the first repair was made is minor and estimated to be 2.0 litres. The second location has not yet been repaired but, it is anticipated that the amount will also be minor and less than 2.0 litres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Monday October 15, 2018.
Oct. 3 1600 mm Mager Drive Combined Sewer Outfall located at 3 Mager Drive 1.38 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Power Failure
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, October 3, 2018 at approximately 3:45 PM, our SCADA operator received a power fail alarm from the Mager Drive Wastewater Lift Station.
  • A standby maintenance crew was dispatched and upon arrival at the station they confirmed that there was an overflow to the river occurring.
  • The outfall slide gate was closed at 5:05 PM, stopping the discharge to the river.
  • Manitoba Hydro restored mainline power to the station at 5:48 PM and the station was returned to normal operation.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 1.38 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Wednesday October 3, 2018.
Oct. 3 900 mm Chataway Boulevard Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1810 Wellington Crescent 0.05 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Power Failure
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, October 3, 2018, at 3:40 PM our SCADA operator received an alarm at the Chataway Wastewater Lift Station indicating that a loss of power had occurred.
  • Maintenance crews were dispatched to the station and arrived on site at approximately 4:45 PM. Upon arrival the crew determined that the station was overflowing and proceeded to close the outfall slide gate.
  • At 4:55 PM the gate was closed, the discharge to the river stopped and the maintenance crew remained on site to monitor levels in the system.
  • Power was restored to the station at 7:00 PM and the station was returned to normal operation.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 0.05 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Thursday, October 4, 2018.
Sep. 22 900 mm Chataway Boulevard Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1810 Wellington Crescent 0.09 megalitres Approx. 30 minutes Water main break
Incident details and response
  • On Saturday, September 22, 2018, at 10:45 PM our SCADA operator received an alarm at the Chataway Wastewater Lift Station for high wastewater levels approaching the weir overflow level.
  • A maintenance crew was immediately dispatched to the station and arrived on site at 11:05 PM.
  • They proceeded to close the outfall slide gate to stop the overflow and the discharge was stopped by 11:13 PM.
  • Our SCADA operator confirmed the overflow was being caused by a water main break in the area and that a Water Services crew was working on correcting the issue at the time.
  • The station returned to normal operation at 12:30 AM, Sunday, September 23.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 0.09 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to the Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Saturday, September 22, 2018.
Sep. 22 300 mm St. Norbert Wastewater Sewer Outfall located at 25 De La Digue Avenue 0.07 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Saturday, September 22, 2018 at approximately 9:45 PM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received an alarm at the St. Norbert Lift Station indicating that a loss of power had occurred.
  • Maintenance crews and a mobile generator were dispatched to the station and arrived on site at approximately 10:30 PM.
  • The crew then proceeded to close the outfall slide gate, thereby stopping the overflow to the Red River at 10:45 PM.
  • MB Hydro restored power at 12:20 AM and the station returned to normal operation at approximately 12:45 AM, Sunday September 23.
  • The total amount of wastewater discharged to the Red River is approximately 0.07 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to the Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Monday, September 24, 2018.
Sep. 21 1350 Land Drainage Outfall located at 3165 Vialoux Drive 0.016 megalitres Approx. 6 hours Buildup of grease and rags
Incident details and response
  • On Friday September 21, 2018 at 5:00 PM, a maintenance crew responding to an odour complaint discovered that wastewater was overflowing into the Assiniboine River from the 1350 Land Drainage Outfall located at 3165 Vialoux Drive.
  • The wastewater was entering the outfall via a 250mm high level overflow pipe from the 200mm wastewater sewer running down Vialoux Drive.
  • The crew determined that the wastewater sewer on Vialoux Drive was completely blocked causing wastewater to backup and overflow into Assiniboine River.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit was called in, the blockage was liberated and the overflow stopped by 11:00 PM.
  • The cause of the blockage was reported to be "heavy grease and rags".
  • The estimated volume of wastewater discharged from the time the blockage was discovered to the time it was liberated (6 hours) is estimated to be 0.016 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to the Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Saturday, September 22, 2018.
Sep. 13 900 mm Chataway Boulevard Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1810 Wellington Crescent 0.17 megalitres Approx. 2 hours Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, September 13, 2018, at 6:47 AM our SCADA operator received an alarm at the Chataway Wastewater Lift Station indicating that a loss of power had occurred.
  • Maintenance crews and mobile generator were dispatched to the station and arrived on site at approximately 8 AM.
  • The mobile generator was connected and was about to be turned on when Manitoba Hydro power was restored.
  • At 8:58 AM, the discharge to the river stopped and the station returned to normal operation
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 0.17 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Thursday, September 13, 2018.
Sep. 12 300 mm St. Norbert Wastewater Sewer Outfall located at 25 De La Digue Avenue 0.22 megalitres Approx. 2 hours Blocked pump
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at approximately 9:45 PM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received a pump failure alarm at the St. Norbert Lift Station.
  • A standby maintenance crew attended the station at approximately 11 PM and determined that the pump was clogged with debris.
  • The pump was cleared of debris and normal operation of the station resumed at 11:45 PM.
  • The total amount of wastewater discharged to the Red River is approximately 0.22 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday, September 13, 2018.
Aug. 26 2850 mm Aubrey Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1016 Palmerston Avenue 3.26 megalitres Approx. 3.5 hours Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Sunday, August 26, 2018 at 11:44 PM, our SCADA operator at the McPhillips Control Centre received an alarm at the Aubrey Lift Station indicating that a loss of power had occurred.
  • Standby crews and a mobile generator were dispatched immediately and one station pump was operating by 1:10 AM Monday, August 27.
  • Manitoba Hydro restored power at 5:41 AM and the station returned to normal operation at that time.
  • In addition to the power failure, a rainfall event was occurring which resulted in a combined sewer overflow discharge to the Assiniboine River from approximately 11:08 PM Sunday to 2:52 AM Monday.
  • The total amount of wastewater (combination of rainfall runoff and sewage) discharged to the Assiniboine River, which can be attributed to the power failure only and not as a result of the wet weather event, is approximately 3.26 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Sunday, August 26, 2018.
Aug. 16 1350 mm Strathmillan Combined Sewer Outfall located at 2396 Portage Avenue 0.6 megalitres Approx. 26 hours Water main break
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, August 16, 2018 at approximately 8:30 AM, our McPhillips Control Centre SCADA Operator was reviewing our Combined Sewer Overflow instrumentation data and observed that high flows of wastewater were coming to our Strathmillan Diversion Station.
  • A maintenance crew was dispatched and arrived on site at 9 AM. The crew observed that wastewater was over topping the diversion weir and discharging to the Strathmillan Combined Sewer Outfall. The crew proceeded to close the outfall slide gate, stopping the discharge at 9:15 AM.
  • Further investigation determined that a water main break had occurred at 31 Carnarvan Road. The flow from the water main break entered the combined sewer system and subsequently overwhelmed the diversion weir at the Strathmillan Station. Water Services shut the water main off, completed repairs and the outfall slide gate was reopened by 8 PM.
  • The total volume of diluted wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 0.6 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday August 16, 2018.
Aug. 16 450 mm Niakwa Road Storm Relief Sewer Outfall located at 605 Niakwa Road 0.01 megalitres per day Unknown Blocked sewer
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, August 16, 2018 at approximately 10 AM, we received a report that wastewater was discharging from the Niakwa Road Storm Relief Sewer Outfall. A maintenance crew was dispatched and arrived at 11:30 AM.
  • After further inspection, it was determined that the 250 mm wastewater sewer was backed up and overflowing into the Niakwa Road Storm Relief Sewer.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit liberated two blockage's in the wastewater sewer and the discharge into the Seine River was stopped by 12:01 PM.
  • The cause of the two blockage's was reported to be "grease". We will add this location to our preventative maintenance program.
  • The duration of the discharge is unknown at this time, however the flow rate of wastewater into the storm relief sewer is estimated to be 0.01 megalitres per day (MLD).
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday, August 16, 2018.
Aug. 10 500 mm St. Vital Bridge River Crossing located between Kingston Row and Churchill Drive 0.035 megalitres Intermittent for 21 hours Pipe leak
Incident details and response
  • On Friday, August 10, 2018 at approximately 3:15 PM, we received a report that water was leaking from the 500 mm river crossing pipe that is attached underneath the St. Vital Bridge.
  • A maintenance crew arrived on site at 3:30 PM and confirmed wastewater was indeed leaking from the pipe. The leak only occurred when the pipe was pressurized by the Baltimore Wastewater Pump Station.
  • To clarify, the station does not pump continuously rather, the pumps cycle on and off at a frequency that is dependent on the flow volume of the district.
  • Based on the investigation, it was discovered that two holes in the river crossing pipe were causing wastewater to leak into the Red River.
  • At 10:30 PM on August 10, 2018, a repair clamp was installed however, wastewater continued to drip from the repaired area.
  • As a result, a maintenance crew returned to the site on Saturday, August 11, 2018 to resolve the issue and complete the repair. This repair was completed by 12:30 PM and wastewater was no longer entering the Red River.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River from the time the leak was reported is estimated to be 0.035 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Friday, August 10, 2018.
Aug. 4 1350 mm Baltimore Road Combined Sewer Outfall located at 250 Churchill Drive 0.2 megalitres Approx. 40 minutes Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Saturday, August 4, 2018 at approximately 1 AM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received a power fail alarm from the Baltimore Road Wastewater Pump Station.
  • A standby maintenance crew was dispatched and upon arrival, proceeded to close the outfall slide gate stopping the overflow to the river at 1:40 AM.
  • Power was restored at 2:23 AM and the station returned to normal operation.
  • At the time of the power failure, there is believed to have been a rain event occurring which started at approximately 1 AM. This rain event would have contributed to the overflow volume.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.2 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Saturday, August 4, 2018.
Jul. 30 1975 mm Selkirk Combined Sewer Outfall located at 108 Selkirk Avenue 0.08 megalitres Approx. 30 minutes Water main break
Incident details and response
  • On Monday, July 30, 2018 at 2:27 PM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received a weir overflow alarm from the Selkirk Diversion Station.
  • A maintenance crew was dispatched and arrived at the station at 2:40 PM. They inspected the flap gate and confirmed that there was indeed discharge to the river. Crews proceeded to close the outfall slide gate and the overflow stopped at 2:50 PM.
  • The crew then monitored wastewater levels in the system until the overflow alarm cleared at 3:31 PM.
  • The overflow was likely due to a water main break, which was caused by construction work near the intersection of McGregor Street and Alfred Avenue. Flows from the water main break entered the combined sewer system and subsequently overwhelmed the Selkirk Diversion Station.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.08 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Tuesday, July 31, 2018.
Jul. 23 900 mm Chataway Boulevard Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1810 Wellington Crescent 0.07 megalitres Approx. 30 minutes High wastewater levels due to water main cleaning
Incident details and response
  • On Monday July 23, at approximately 9:15 AM, the SCADA operator received an alarm at the Chataway Wastewater Lift Station for high wastewater levels, approaching the weir overflow level.
  • A maintenance crew was immediately dispatched to the station and arrived on site at 9:30 AM. They proceeded to close the outfall slide gate to stop the overflow and the discharge was stopped by 9:45 AM.
  • The cause of the high wastewater levels was determined to be water main flushing in the area. City crews worked together to ensure proper flow levels in the wastewater collection system while completing planned water main cleaning.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 0.07 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Monday July 23, 2018.
Jul. 22 300 mm St. Norbert Wastewater Sewer Outfall located at 25 De La Digue Avenue 0.07 megalitres Approx. 1.5 hours Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Sunday, July 22, 2018 at approximately 4:30 PM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received an alarm from our St. Norbert Lift Station indicating that a loss of power had occurred.
  • A standby crew was called in to retrieve the mobile generator to connect it to the station.
  • The crew attended to the station just as Manitoba Hydro restored power at 5:56 PM and the station returned to normal operation.
  • The total amount of raw sewage discharged to the Red River as a result of the power failure is approximately 0.07 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Monday, July 23, 2018.
Jul. 3 Ravelston stormwater retention basin located at the southwest corner of Transcona Boulevard and Bradley Street 0.005 megalitres Unknown Blocked sewer
Incident details and response
  • On Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at approximately 12:15 PM, we received a call from one of our sewer renewal project inspectors. They found wastewater from a 250 mm wastewater sewer was trickling into a 750 mm land drainage sewer via a high level cross connection at Brewster Street and Regent Avenue West.
  • A crew attended the site at 1:10 PM and found a large accumulation of rags in the wastewater sewer at Brewster Street and Yale Avenue West. These rags caused wastewater to back up into the cross connection and enter the land drainage sewer.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit cleared the blockage in the wastewater sewer at 1:55 PM and the discharge was stopped by 2 PM.
  • The Ravelston storm retention basin collects stormwater from the surrounding area and, at a pre-determined elevation, pumps are activated to discharge the stormwater into the 2900 mm Kildare Avenue storm relief trunk sewer.
  • The stormwater then enters the floodway east of Provincial Highway 101 and Kildare Avenue East.
  • The volume of wastewater discharged to the environment as a result of the blockage is estimated to be 0.005 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Tuesday, July 3, 2018.
Jun. 25 2300 mm Tylehurst Combined Sewer Outfall located at 499 Tylehurst Street 0.15 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Monday, June 25, 2018, at approximately 10:52 AM, a power failure occurred at the Tylehurst Wastewater Pumping Station.
  • The SCADA operator called maintenance crews to attend the station and, upon arrival, a crew closed the outfall slide gate and stopped the overflow at 11:40 AM.
  • A mobile backup generator was connected and restored power to the pumps by 12:08 PM.
  • Manitoba Hydro restored main line power to the station at 2:30 PM and the outfall slide gate was opened at 3:15 PM.
  • The amount of wastewater discharged is estimated to be 0.15 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Conservation Accident Reporting line on Monday, June 25, 2018.
Jun. 22 1200 mm Woodhaven Combined Sewer Outfall located at 2782 Assiniboine Avenue 0.02 megalitres Approx. 3 hours Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Friday, June 22, 2018 at approximately 4:36 PM, our McPhillips Control Centre received a pump fail alarm from the Woodhaven Wastewater Pumping Station.
  • A maintenance crew was dispatched and arrived at the Woodhaven station at 5 PM.
  • Upon arrival, the crew determined that the pumps were not operating due to a partial loss of power where one phase of the three phase power supply was out.
  • The crew went to retrieve the mobile generator and called in an electrician to meet them onsite to connect it to the station.
  • They returned to the site just as Manitoba Hydro restored power to the station.
  • At 8:04 PM, the station was back on line and the overflow stopped at 8:07 PM.
  • A review of our SCADA instrumentation indicates that a discharge from the Woodhaven outfall occurred between 4:47 PM and 8:07 PM.
  • The total amount of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be approximately 0.02 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Conservation Accident Reporting line on Friday, June 22, 2018.
Jun. 14 2850 mm Aubrey Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1016 Palmerston Avenue 2.40 megalitres Approx. 4 hours Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, June 14, 2018 at 11:43 PM, our SCADA operator at the McPhillips Control Centre received an alarm at the Aubrey Lift Station indicating that a loss of power had occurred.
  • Standby crews and a mobile generator were dispatched immediately and one station pump was operating by 1:30 AM, Friday, June 15.
  • Manitoba Hydro restored power at 3:30 AM and the station returned to normal operation.
  • In addition to the power failure, a rainfall event was occurring which resulted in a combined sewer overflow discharge to the Assiniboine River from approximately 9 PM, Thursday to 4:50 AM, Friday.
  • The total amount of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River, which can be attributed to the power failure only and not as a result of the wet weather event, is approximately 2.40 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Friday, June 15, 2018.
Jun. 3 3480 mm Ash Street Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1059 Wellington Crescent 1.50 megalitres Approx. 2 hours Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Sunday, June 3, at approximately 2:10 AM, our SCADA operator received an alarm at the Ash Wastewater Lift Station due to a power failure.
  • Standby maintenance crews along with a mobile generator were immediately dispatched to the station.
  • The mobile generator was connected and the discharge to the Assiniboine River stopped at approximately 4:30 AM.
  • Power to the station was restored by Manitoba Hydro at 6 AM.
  • The slide gate was not operated to stop the flow to the river.
  • Rain events were occurring at the time the crews arrived and it was decided that the risk to basement flooding was too high.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 1.50 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Sunday, June 3, 2018.
Apr. 28 1500 mm Land Drainage Outfall located at Rice Road and Kilkenny Drive 0.97 megalitres Approx. 72 hours Buildup of grease and sewage
Incident details and response
  • On Saturday, April 28, 2018 at approximately 12 PM, a maintenance crew performing flood related inspections of gated overflow points in the wastewater sewer system found that the wastewater sewer at Kilkenny Drive and Rice Road was discharging into the land drainage sewer outfall.
  • The crew followed the sewer west on Rice Road and at 2:30 PM, the crew located the overflow.
  • They determined it was caused by a blockage in the wastewater sewer located at Rice Road and Emory Road.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit was called in to clear the blockage and the overflow stopped at 6 PM.
  • The crew continued to clean the sewer until 9 PM to restore it to normal operation.
  • The cause of the blockage was reported to be a buildup of grease and "heavy sewage".
  • We will obtain a CCTV inspection of this sewer to determine whether future preventative maintenance or repairs are required.
  • After reviewing our inspection records, we estimate that the overflow started sometime on Wednesday, April 25.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged is estimated to be 0.97 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development on Saturday, April 28, 2018 at approximately 5:10 PM.
Apr. 3 2700 mm McDermot Storm Relief Sewer Outfall located at McDermot Avenue and Red River 0.60 megalitres 2 days Blocked sewer and pump failure
Incident details and response
  • On Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at approximately 2 PM, our crews discovered a wastewater discharge occurring from the McDermot outfall, while conducting our weekly maintenance outfall checks.
  • The crew manually activated the dewatering pump in storm relief gate chamber to contain flow by pumping into the combined sewer and the discharge to the river was stopped by 2:30 PM.
  • We inspected upstream locations to determine the source of the wastewater.
  • Crews found a developing wastewater overflow to the storm relief sewer at 907 William Avenue, which they believed was caused by a combination of a blocked wastewater sewer and a local water main break.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit was immediately called in to clear the blockage.
  • We are currently investigating why the dewatering pump did not operate automatically and why it had to be manually turned on to divert the wastewater flowing in the storm relief sewer back into the combined system.
  • We will also be inspecting the wastewater sewer where the blockage occurred to determine the cause of the blockage and what further remedial actions may be required.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged is estimated to be 0.60 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Tuesday, April 3, 2018.
Mar. 28 1600 mm Mager Drive Combined Sewer Outfall located at 3 Mager Drive 3.16 megalitres Approx. 3 hours (2 separate events) Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, March 28, 2018 at approximately 4:49 AM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received a power fail alarm from the Mager Drive Wastewater Pump Station.
  • Standby maintenance crews and a mobile generator were dispatched however, while enroute, the alarm cleared and power was restored to the station.
  • The crews were then diverted from Mager Drive Station to another station experiencing power issues at 5:55 AM.
  • At approximately 7:26 AM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received a second power fail alarm from the Mager Drive Wastewater Pump Station.
  • Standby maintenance crews and a mobile generator were dispatched again.
  • A crew arrived at 8:30 AM and observed that an overflow was occurring.
  • They began to close the outfall slide gate to store wastewater until the mobile generator could be connected.
  • At 9:12 AM, mainline power was restored before the mobile generator could be connected to the station and before the overflow could be contained by the slide gate.
  • The overflow stopped at 9:32 AM.
  • At the time of the first power failure, other stations in the area were experiencing combined sewer overflows due to what is believed to have been a rain event starting at approximately 4 AM.
  • This rain event would have contributed to the overflow volumes reported below.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River for both power failures at the Mager Drive Combined Sewer Outfall is estimated to be 3.16 megalitres. This amount is reflective of the large size of the station and by a concurrent rain event.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Wednesday, March 28, 2018.
Mar. 26 1800 mm Land Drainage Outfall located along Riviera Avenue 0.64 megalitres per day Unknown Incorrect sewer connection
Incident details and response
  • On Monday, March 26, 2018, at approximately 9:46 AM, a contractor performing a video inspection of the land drainage sewer, informed the City that they noticed a solid-like substance in the land drainage sewer.
  • The contractor provided the video to City personnel by 12 PM, and it was determined that there was likely a private wastewater sewer service incorrectly connected to the land drainage sewer.
  • The City then asked the contractor to perform further video inspection to determine the source of the wastewater.
  • Based on this inspection, it was determined that a private industrial wastewater sewer service was incorrectly connected to the land drainage sewer.
  • Following the discovery of the wastewater connection to the land drainage sewer, the City's Industrial Waste Services Branch was contacted and, at roughly 4 PM, they informed the owner of the private industrial wastewater sewer service of the issue.
  • The customer ceased discharging wastewater at approximately 4:30 PM and made alternate arrangements for wastewater hauling.
  • The customer has been instructed to make a proper connection to the wastewater sewer and, in the meantime, they are being provided a Temporary Discharge Permit to run a hose to the wastewater sewer.
  • The wastewater sewer that the customer will be connecting to has been inspected and cleaned.
  • The land drainage sewer is in the process of being inspected and cleaned.
  • The duration of the discharge is unknown at this time, however, the flow rate of wastewater into the land drainage sewer is estimated to be 0.64 megalitres per day (MLD).
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development on Monday March 26, 2018 at approximately 4:50 PM.
Mar. 24 2400 mm Lindsay Storm Relief Sewer Outfall located in Sir John Franklin Park East near Wellington Crescent at Lindsay Street 0.01 megalitres per day Approx. 2 hours Partially blocked combined sewer
Incident details and response
  • On Saturday, March 24, 2018 at 2 PM, a crew performing planned inspections of overflow points into the Lindsay Storm Relief Sewer (SRS) encountered a partially blocked combined sewer on Borebank Street north of Kingsway.
  • The blockage caused wastewater to accumulate and overflow into the Kingsway SRS which flows west to the Lindsay SRS, then north to the Assiniboine River.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit was dispatched, the sewer was cleaned and the overflow had stopped by 4 PM.
  • Under normal operation, wastewater flows from the Borebank Street combined sewer to the Ash pumping station and eventually to the North End Sewage Treatment Plant.
  • Wet weather flow during rain events is allowed to overflow into the Lindsay SRS and eventually to the Assiniboine River.
  • In this case, wastewater generated on Borebank Street between Grosvenor Avenue and Kingsway (one block) was directed to the Lindsay SRS and subsequently was discharged to the river.
  • The inspection crew concluded that the overflow weir at this location was not high enough to prevent dry weather overflows caused by the usual accumulation of debris in wastewater sewers.
  • On Sunday, March 25, 2018 the weir was raised approximately 150mm using hydraulic cement and bricks.
  • The flow into the Lindsay SRS at the time of discovery is estimated to be 0.01 megalitres per day (MLD).
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development - Accident Reporting Line on Saturday, March 24, 2018.
Mar. 22 2300 mm Tylehurst Combined Sewer Outfall located at 499 Tylehurst Street 0.072 megalitres Approx. 45 minutes Pump failure
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, March 22, 2018 at approximately 2:17 PM our SCADA operator received an overflow alarm at the Tylehurst Wastewater Pumping Station.
  • A standby crew arrived at the station at 3 PM to investigate the cause of the alarm. It was determined that only one pump was in operation so an electrical and instrumentation (E&I) crew were called to investigate. In the meantime, workers onsite proceeded to manually start the remaining pumps to lower the level in the wet well.
  • The station returned to normal operation by 3:25 PM and the E&I crew did not observe any issues on their preliminary visit. Upon further investigation during a second visit on March 23, 2018, they found a level sensor that needed replacement.
  • The overflow from the Tylehurst outfall is believed to have occurred between 2:37 PM and 3:25 PM and released an estimated 0.072 megalitres of wastewater was discharged to the Assiniboine River.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday March 22, 2018.
Mar. 8 Aubrey Storm Relief Sewer Outfall located at 1020 Palmerston Avenue Unknown Unknown Snow melt and water main break
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 11:30 AM, an employee performing an inspection of Aubrey Lift Station observed open water on the Assiniboine River. At the time of the inspection, however, there was no flow from the outfall.
  • A maintenance crew was called out to investigate the cause of the open water.
  • Due to the characteristics of the overflow, it is believed to have been caused by a combination of snow melt and a water main break which occurred on Saturday, March 3, 2018 near the intersection of Wolseley Avenue and Dominion Street.
  • The volume of the overflow is unknown.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Conservation Accident Reporting line on Thursday, March 8, 2018.
Mar. 4 1200 mm Woodlands Land Drainage Sewer Outfall located adjacent to 3011 Portage Avenue 0.04 megalitres Approx. 1.5 hours Blockage due to grease buildup
Incident details and response
  • On Sunday, March 4, 2018 at approximately 9:30 AM, a crew was performing preventative maintenance of the gate controlling overflows, from the wastewater sewer on Portage Avenue to the land drainage sewer on Woodlands Crescent.
  • Upon arrival they noticed that the 250 mm Portage Avenue wastewater sewer was backed up and overflowing into the Woodlands Crescent land drainage sewer.
  • The blockage was located and a vacuum cleaning unit arrived on site at 10:15 AM, the blockage was liberated and the overflow stopped by 11:00 AM.
  • The cause of the blockage was reported to be "grease".
  • We will monitor this location and add this location to our preventative maintenance program.
  • The amount and duration of wastewater discharged to Sturgeon Creek from the time it was discovered until the blockage was cleared is 0.04 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Sunday, March 4, 2018.
Mar. 3 3480 mm Ash Street Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1059 Wellington Crescent 0.35 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On Saturday, March 3, at 3:05 PM our SCADA operator received an alarm at the Ash Wastewater Lift Station due to a power failure.
  • Standby maintenance, electrical and instrumentation crews, along with a mobile generator were dispatched to the station.
  • An overflow alarm was received by SCADA at 3:30 PM.
  • The crews arrived on site and began to close the outfall slide gate and investigate the cause of the power failure at 3:49 PM.
  • The power to the station was restored at 4:12 PM and by 4:15 PM the overflow to the Assiniboine had stopped.
  • The power failure is believed to have been caused by the 600V main breaker tripping inside the station.
  • The breaker was possibly tripped by an issue with one of the three station pumps.
  • As a result, the pump has been taken out of rotation as a precaution while the cause of the failure is fully determined and repaired.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 0.35 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting Line on Saturday, March 3, 2018.
Feb. 22 1675 mm Cockburn Combined Sewer Outfall located at 905 Cockburn Street 0.12 megalitres Approx. 4 hours Slide gate failure
Incident details and response
  • On the evening of Wednesday, February 21, 2018 various Wastewater Services Maintenance Crews began a planned shutdown of the Cockburn Pumping Station to replace a leaking valve on the station discharge pipe.
  • To perform this work, it was planned that the station flows would be backed up in the system to a location on Rosedale Avenue where a submersible pump would intercept the station flows and would discharge downstream of the station.
  • As a safeguard, the slide gate on the outfall pipe was also closed in order to store any flows in the system should the by-pass pump fail.
  • In addition, a vacuum cleaning unit was staged on site to assist the pump in diverting the station flow should it be required.
  • The station pumps where locked out at approximately 11:00 PM on Wednesday evening and work immediately began to remove the valve and fourteen feet of discharge pipe.
  • At 12:05 AM Thursday morning, despite all planned efforts to contain the flow, wastewater began to overflow the weir at the outfall.
  • The level of wastewater in the system did not reach the required level for the pump at Rosedale to be able to divert flows around the station as was expected.
  • Furthermore, it was observed that the closed slide gate was not containing the flow and wastewater began to discharge to the Red River.
  • As the work had already begun on the valve replacement, the station could not be put back in operation.
  • The overflow continued until 4:05 AM Thursday morning when the valve replacement work was completed and the station pumps were put back in operation.
  • We will be inspecting the slide gate today to determine the cause of its failure to contain the discharge and whether repairs are required.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.12 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday, February 22, 2018.
Feb. 15 2100 mm Hawthorne Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1178A Kildonan Drive 0.05 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Water main break
Incident details and response
  • On Thursday, February 15, 2018 at approximately 1:46 AM, the SCADA operator at McPhillips Control Centre received a high wet well and overflow alarm from the Hawthorne Wastewater Pump Station.
  • A standby crew arrived at the station and had the positive gate closed by 2:10 AM, stopping the overflow.
  • However, levels in the sewer reached a critical point (where basement flooding was a risk) shortly thereafter, and the crew opened the positive gate at 2:20 AM to relieve the system.
  • The crew subsequently closed the positive gate by 2:45 AM, stopping the controlled overflow, and the overflow alarm cleared at approximately 3:10 AM.
  • The overflow is believed to have been caused by a water main break, which occurred at the intersection of Edison Avenue and Broad Bay.
  • The flow from the water main break entered the combined sewer system and subsequently overwhelmed the pumps at the Hawthorne station.
  • It is estimated that the overflow due to the water main break was approximately between the hours of 1:46 AM and 2:10 AM, and 2:20 AM and 2:45 AM, on Thursday, February 15, 2018.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.05 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday, February 15, 2018.
Feb. 14 Manhole located in front of 1389 Waller Avenue 0.022 megalitres Unknown Unknown
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at 2:06 PM, 311 received a report that wastewater was coming out of a manhole located at 1389 Waller Avenue.
  • A crew attended the site at 6:00 PM and confirmed wastewater was trickling out of a wastewater sewer manhole and flowing into the adjacent land drainage catch basin.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit arrived on site and the wastewater sewer was cleared by approximately 6:00 AM Thursday morning.
  • The volume of wastewater discharged to the environment as a result of the blockage is estimated to be 22 cubic metres or 0.022 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday, February 15, 2018.
Feb. 14 1980 mm Canora Storm Relief Sewer Outfall located at Canora Street and Assiniboine River 2.8 megalitres Approx. 18 hours Water main leak
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, February 14, 2018 at approximately 3:26 PM, a report was received that "a dark colored discharge was coming from a sewer pipe or culvert at the edge of the riverbank near Canora Green".
  • At approximately 4:15 PM, a crew arrived at this location and started to investigate and discovered that the discharge was clear in colour and appeared to be caused by a water main leak upstream in the system.
  • The crew immediately contacted the Water Services Division, and both Water Services and Wastewater Services staff worked to locate the leak in the water distribution system.
  • At 10:40 PM, a potential leak was identified at Palmerston Avenue and Aubrey Street.
  • The water main was then shut down, however, flow continued at the storm relief sewer at Canora Street.
  • Crews continued to work through the night to locate the source and, by 9:45 am on February 15, 2018, the flow at the outfall stopped.
  • The source of the water has not yet been determined, therefore, crews will continue to monitor the outfall for flow throughout the day and into late next week.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River from the time it was reported until the time the flow stopped was approximately 2.8 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Wednesday, February 14, 2018.
Feb. 5 1800 mm Ferry Road Combined Sewer Outfall located at 40 Ferry Road 1.80 megalitres Approx. 3 hours Firefighting
Incident details and response
  • On Monday, February 5, 2018 at approximately 7:45 PM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received an "overflow" alarm from the Ferry Road Wastewater Pump Station.
  • A standby maintenance crew was dispatched to investigate and arrived at the station at 8:30 PM.
  • The crew observed that an overflow was occurring and attempted to close the outfall slide gate but a layer of ice would not allow the gate to completely close.
  • The crew continued to attempt to close the gate using steam to clear the ice however by 10:50 PM the flow to the river appeared to have stopped.
  • The overflow is believed to have been caused by a large amount of water that entered into the system as a result of firefighting efforts on a significant fire which was located on Roseberry Street, south of Ellice Avenue.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River is estimated to be 1.80 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Monday, February 5, 2018.
Jan. 22 1400 mm Despins Combined Sewer Outfall located at 455 Tache Avenue 0.30 megalitres Unknown Water main break
Incident details and response
  • On Monday, January 22, 2018 at approximately 1:26 PM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received a "Seal Water Loss" alarm from the Despins Flood Pump Station, which is adjacent to the wastewater pumping station.
  • A maintenance crew was dispatched to investigate and arrived at the station at 1:35 PM.
  • The crew ascertained that a large water main break had occurred at the intersection of Rue Despins and Tache Avenue and was overwhelming the Despins Wastewater Pumping Station.
  • They immediately proceeded to close the combined sewer outfall slide gate in order to prevent wastewater from overflowing the diversion weir and discharging to the river.
  • The slide gate was closed at 2 PM however at 3:15 PM levels in the sewer had reached a point where flooding of basements was a concern and the maintenance crew opened the slide gate to relieve the system.
  • Subsequently the water main break was controlled and levels in the sewer subsided enough to close the slide gate again at 3:45 PM.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is estimated to be 0.30 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Monday, January 22, 2018.
Jan. 12 2400 mm Burrows Storm Relief Sewer Outfall located at Burrows Avenue and Red River 0.16 megalitres Unknown Buildup of grease
Incident details and response
  • On Friday, January 12, 2018, at approximately 10:12 AM, we received a report that "sewage was leaking into the Red River at Burrows Avenue".
  • At approximately 11 AM, multiple crews started to investigate the source of the discharge and at 3:25 PM, discovered a partial blockage in the combined sewer.
  • This blockage subsequently caused an overflow into the storm relief sewer at Main Street just south of Aberdeen Avenue.
  • A vacuum cleaning unit was called in to clear the blockage and the overflow was stopped by approximately 10:05 PM.
  • The overflow was caused by a buildup of grease in the combined sewer.
  • The total volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River from the time it was reported until the blockage was cleared is estimated to be 0.16 megalitres.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Friday, January 12, 2018.
Jan. 10 2100 mm Hawthorne Combined Sewer Outfall located at 1178A Kildonan Drive 0.16 megalitres Approx. 1 hour Water main break
Incident details and response
  • On Wednesday, January 10, 2018, at approximately 11:56 PM, the SCADA operator at our McPhillips Control Centre received a high wet-well alarm from the Hawthorne Wastewater Pump Station, and ten minutes later at 12:06 AM on Thursday, January 11, 2018, received a weir overflow alarm.
  • A standby crew arrived at the station and had the positive gate closed by 1 AM, stopping the overflow.
  • The overflow alarm cleared at approximately 1:16 AM.
  • The overflow is believed to have been caused by a water main break, which occurred at the intersection of Edison Avenue and Macaulay Crescent.
  • The flow from the water main break entered the combined sewer system and subsequently overwhelmed the pumps at the Hawthorne station.
  • It is estimated that the overflow discharged 0.16 megalitres of wastewater to the Red River between the hours of 12:06 AM and 1 AM, Thursday, January 11, 2018.
  • The incident was reported to Manitoba Sustainable Development Accident Reporting line on Thursday, January 11, 2018.
Last updated: May 10, 2024

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