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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.

2023

Date Location Estimated
amount		 Estimated
duration		 Cause
Mar. 4 1800mm combined sewer overflow outfall located at 200 Syndicate Street 0.36 ML Approx. 3 hours 47 minutes Fire fighting nearby and a frozen control chamber
Incident details and response
  • On March 4, 2023, at 11:20 a.m., our Wastewater Control Center Operator noticed increased flow at the Syndicate Wastewater Lift Station. They called Water Services to see if there were any water main breaks in the area and were informed that there was an ongoing firefighting effort in the 800 block of Main Street.
  • At 11:33 a.m., the Operator received a high wet-well alarm from Syndicate Station and a stand-by crew was dispatched. Upon arrival, the maintenance crew noticed that wastewater was being discharged to the Red River and attempted to close the outfall slide gate. The slide gate, however, could not close completely as ice had formed in the bottom of the control chamber, allowing wastewater to continue to discharge to the river. At 3:47 p.m., the overflow stopped as the station pumps caught up to the incoming flows and t he pumping station high wet-well alarm cleared at 4:12 p.m.
  • The discharge was caused by excess flow in the system from the aforementioned firefighting. The flow exceeded the pumping capacity of Syndicate Wastewater Pumping Station and consequently overflowed to the Red River. The ice in the bottom of the outfall control structure that prevented the outfall slide gate from closing will be removed as soon as possible.
  • The estimated volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is 0.36 ML.
  • The incidents were reported to the Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks Accident Reporting line on Saturday, March 4, 2023.
Mar. 3 300mm wastewater sewer overflow outfall located at 25 De La Digue Avenue 0.013 ML Approx. 32 minutes Power failure
Incident details and response
  • On March 2, 2023, at 4:37 p.m., our Wastewater Control Centre received a power failure alarm from the St. Norbert Lift Station. A standby maintenance crew was immediately dispatched with a mobile generator. While the crew was on route, Manitoba Hydro had restored power and the lift station returned to normal operation a 5:09 p.m.
  • Upon arrival at the site, the crews determined that an overflow was not occurring, but that the storage capacity of the wastewater system had been exceeded, causing a discharge of wastewater to the Red River during the power outage.
  • The estimated volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is 0.013 ML.
  • The incidents were reported to the Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks Accident Reporting line Thursday, March 2, 2023.
Feb. 27 2100 mm combined sewer outfall located at 1178A Kildonan Drive 0.07 ML Approx. 1 hour 51 minutes Water main break
Incident details and response
  • On February 27, 2023, at approximately 6:19 a.m., our Wastewater Control Centre received an overflow alarm from the Hawthorne Lift Station. A stand-by maintenance crew was dispatched and arrived on site at approximately 8:00 a.m. The crew closed the outfall slide gate at 8:10 a.m. effectively stopping the overflow.
  • The discharge was due to a water main break near the intersection of McLeod Avenue and Rothesay Street. Water Services has controlled the leak and the Wastewater Services maintenance crew is working at this time to return the station and outfall slide gate to normal operation.
  • The estimated volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River is 0.07 ML.
  • The incidents were reported to the Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks Accident Reporting line on Monday, February 27, 2023.
Feb. 14 2100 mm combined sewer outfall located at 1178A Kildonan Drive 0.15 ML Approx. 54 minutes Hydrant leak
Incident details and response
  • On February 14, 2023, at approximately 2:40 a.m., our Wastewater Control Centre received an overflow alarm from the Hawthorne Lift Station. A crew was dispatched and arrived on site at approximately 3:40 a.m. The overflow began at 2:50 a.m. and was due to a hydrant leak near the intersection of McLeod Avenue and Henderson Highway. Water Services controlled the leak by 3:28 a.m. A wastewater services crew closed the outfall slide gate by 3:46 a.m. and the station resumed normal operation by 4:30 a.m.
  • The estimated volume of wastewater discharged to the Red River 0.15 ML.
  • The incidents were reported to the Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks Accident Reporting line on Tuesday, February 14, 2023.
Jan. 13 1600 x 1400 mm combined sewer outfall located near 1 Cornish Avenue 0.001 ML Approx. 20 minutes Sewer blockage
Incident details and response
  • On January 12, 2023, at approximately 4:10 p.m., a City maintenance crew monitoring sewer repair work by a private contractor performing maintenance work for the City of Winnipeg noticed excessive flow in the Cornish trunk sewer. The flow overwhelmed the Cornish pumping station and subsequently overflowed to the Assiniboine River through the Cornish Combined Sewer Outfall. The discharge was stopped at 4:30 p.m.
  • The private contractor had temporarily blocked the flow in the trunk sewer to perform their work. Upon completion of the repair, they released the stored wastewater at a rate that was not intended to overwhelm the Cornish Station pumps. As a precaution, the City maintenance crew had closed the outfall slide gate to prevent an overflow, should the station pumps not be able to keep up with the incoming flow. Despite these efforts, some wastewater did overflow and escape the closed slide gate. This was likely due to ice or debris leading to improper seating of the slide gate.
  • The slide gate is now open, the station is back to normal operation, and the maintenance work in the Cornish trunk sewer is complete.
  • The estimated volume of wastewater discharged to the Assiniboine River 0.001 ML.
  • The incidents were reported to the Manitoba Environment, Climate and Parks Accident Reporting line on Thursday, January 12, 2023.
Last updated: March 6, 2023

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