Cochrane could run out of water for some residents after sewage breach

The Town of Cochrane has declared a State of Local Emergency (SOLE) to create a legal state of affairs of a temporary nature so the local authority may take extraordinary actions to deal with the sewage discharge over the weekend.. 

“As a result of the water and wastewater incident on Saturday, October 21 and the uncontrolled impacts to the Town of Cochrane’s water reservoir supply, our water reservoirs are at critical levels,” said Shawn Polley, Emergency Command Centre Director, Town of Cochrane.

“These levels directly impact our ability to provide water to the community and ensure the required water resources to support emergency fire suppression, if required. If water consumption continues at the current levels, we anticipate that some communities may soon be without water.” 

A SOLE provides the Town of Cochrane with the power to direct and control response efforts, as well as coordinate with the province. It was declared Tuesday morning.

All Cochrane residents and businesses must adhere to an emergency mandatory water conservation.

A construction accident near Riverfront Park broke a water line and a sanitary sewer line on Oct. 21 around 6 pm, resulting in raw sewage being discharged directly into the Bow River. Cochrane’s drinking water was not impacted at any point, and it remains safe. The intake for drinking water is upstream from where the spill occurred.

Crews were on site throughout the night working on mitigation and containment efforts.

The Town activated the Emergency Coordination Centre at approximately 8:30 pm Saturday. That action included the City of Calgary, Rocky View County, Alberta Environment and Alberta Health Services.

On Monday Fire Chief Shawn Polley said a major hauling effort is underway to replenish the Town’s water supply until repairs can be completed.

CAO Mike Derricott said it was too early to start assigning blame for the accident.

He added that the Town’s water reservoirs, used for storing drinking water and for fire suppression remained at critical levels.

“We’re working to bring in water from additional sources to stabilize the situation,” he said. The community of Harmony is one of the sources of water being hauled in.

Somewhat ironically, the contractor was working on installing an additional syphon pipe – a project designed to enhance municipal infrastructure. Upon completion, the syphon project is expected to double Cochrane's wastewater management and transfer capacity. Whissell Contracting Ltd. from Calgary is the company working on the siphon project.

“This is an unfortunate way to confirm how critical this infrastructure is for our community,” Derricott said.

Also on Monday, Derricott said they were unable to give an accurate number for how much wastewater went into the river, since a water line was also ruptured, and the effluent was a mixture of treated drinking water and sewage. But he confirmed there was not any more sewage flowing into the river as of Monday afternoon.

Wastewater cannot be simply shut off in situations like this, as it is a gravity-fed system, and if plugged would result in sewer backups into homes and businesses.

Outdoor water use is prohibited, water pressure will be reduced as required, and bulk water sales will not be permitted.

In addition, residents are requested to: 

• Use water sparingly: Limit water use to only essential activities. 
• Reduce shower time: Shorten shower times to conserve water.
• Wash dishes by hand: If you have a dishwasher, only use it when you have a full load of dishes to wash. Hand wash where possible to limit water use.
• Limit laundry: Postpone doing laundry until the water line impacts have been resolved. 
• Educate family members: Ensure that all members of the household are aware of the current situation and are following the conservation guidelines.

“By making simple adjustments to your daily routines, you can significantly contribute to the preservation of our water resources,” said Stacey Loe, Director of Emergency Management, Town of Cochrane. “Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we work together to protect our water resources.”

The Town also asked large consumers to reduce usage on the weekend, and the SLS Centre announced on Sunday, "To support these water conservation actions, we have made the difficult decision to close our Centre for the evening, effective 6:30 pm. We are hopeful this action will help to mitigate further action within the community."

The Town has also restricted water supply to area hotels and a nearby car dealership.