The South Thompson River from Riverside Park, Feb. 20, 2017.
(BRENDAN KERGIN / iNFOnews.ca)
February 15, 2018 - 9:55 AM
KAMLOOPS – A sewer main has broken and sewage has likely leaked into the South Thompson River.
According to a City of Kamloops news release, a sewer force main near 950 Lorne Street has broken and crews are on site for the repair. Lorne Street has been closed to the public between 8th Avenue and 10th Avenue.
Crews have only recently located the broken main this afternoon, according to Greg Wightman, utility services manager for the City. The excavation process to reach the broken main took longer than expected due to the tight quarters in the strata unit where the main broke.
There is no definite timeline for when the main will be fixed, according to Wightman. He hopes that it will be fixed by the morning of Feb. 16.
“Due to the location, it is likely that some sewage has entered the South Thompson River through nearby catch basins. The City’s Spill Response Protocol has been enacted and the Ministry of Environment has been notified,” according to the City's news release.
The City of Kamloops says it has implemented a temporary solution to divert sewage away from the break area. The City asks that resdients in Rose Hill, Valleyview, Juniper, Barnhartvale, Dallas, Campbell Creek, Sun Rivers and along East Shuswap Road limit their indoor water usage until further notice, to reduce further backup and mitigate the environmental impact.
Crews will be working around the clock until the break is repaired.
— This story was updated at 2:57 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, 2018 with new information from the City of Kamloops.
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