Untreated sewage spills during power outage, heavy rain

More than 2.5 megalitres of raw sewage was released into the environment during a power failure at a wastewater lift station near The Forks on Sunday.

The power went out at the station, at 105 Mayfair Ave., shortly before 8:20 a.m.

A City of Winnipeg maintenance crew was sent to the station with a mobile generator and found an overflow of untreated water. Heavy rain caused additional wastewater to overflow, the city said in a news release Monday.

The mobile generator was running an hour after the power went out, but only one of the station’s two pumps was working off and on because of mechanical problems with the generator.

Manitoba Hydro restored power shortly after 10 a.m.

“Because of the heavy rain, the overflow continued after Manitoba Hydro restored power,” the release said. “The outfall slide gate, which could’ve stopped the overflow if closed, was left open in order to prevent basement flooding.”