Regina sewage bypass larger than previously believed

The City of Regina says it diverted a lot more sewage into the WascanaCreek system last month than what it originally believed.

Heavy rain forced the cityto dump what it calls"strained sewage" into the waterway, instead of sending it to the overloaded sewage treatment system.

It was previously believed that 1 million litres of the sewage was diverted.

On Monday, the city'swaterworks director,Pat Wilson, said 15 million litres ended up in the creek system.

That's enough liquid to fill six Olympic-sized swimming pools.

City says decision was 'last resort'

Wilson said the measure was taken on July 28to protect homes and city infrastructure from sewage.The screened sewage wasmixed with rainwater for four hours from the McCarthy Boulevardpumping station, and then passedinto Wascana Creek.

Wilson called it a "last resort."

The overworked system came as a resultof heavy rains that pelted Regina on July 27. Most areas in the cityreceivedan average of 78 millimetres of rain, while neighbourhoods in the northwest were hit with 90-107 millimetres.

The decision was made early on July 28, Wilson said.

"It's a small volume during what was a huge storm," she said.

Last year, the city had enacted a similar measure due to heavy rains: 335 million litres of screened sewage were released into the waterway from the same pumping station.

'Cannot use these lakes as another escapehatch'

"Whether it's one million litres or 15 million litres, the fact of the matter is you cannot use these lakes as another escapehatch for a problem that should be dealt with by Regina," said KenHutchinson.

Hutchinson is with the Calling Lakes Planning Commission, a grouphe describes as a government-sanctioned, regional planning group representing communities that are part of the Qu'Appelle watershed.

He said he hasasked Mayor Michael Fougere for a meeting to discuss an interim plan until Regina's new waste water treatment plant is complete.

The city said the new plantshould help prevent future sewage diversions.