Over the next several weeks, 6 million cubic meters of wastewater will be dumped into Halifax Harbour.
Brittany Smith from Halifax Water tells our newsroom it is for critical maintenance that is required at its Halifax and Dartmouth treatment facilities.
“To ensure that we continue to operate efficiently and that we are meeting regulatory requirements,” says Smith.
It means the facilities will need to be shut down starting with the Halifax location.
“The way the system is designed, it doesn’t allow for diverting to another facility or for the retention of the wastewater. Pump trucks cannot manage such a large volume of the wastewater,” says Smith.
Over the next week, two million cubic meters of wastewater will be dumped into the harbour from 14 relief points between Fairview and Downtown Halifax.
Photo: Halifax Water
After that, another 4 million meters cubed from its Dartmouth location in 11 relief points between the MacKay Bridge and Eastern Passage.
Photo: Halifax Water
What is being done?
Maintenace, Smith says, happens on an “as needs” basis and is required to continue operating.
They are upgrading the UV disinfection system as well as work being done at the pumping station.
“This work will ensure efficient operation and to ensure that we’re meeting regulatory effluent requirements,” says Smith.
Environmental impact
Halifax Harbour has a lot of commercial activity, so when it comes to the environment impact of this type of work, Smith says, it is hard to say.
However, the work the utility is doing must be approved.
“We have to apply for temporary bypass operation from Environment Canada and Climate Change, so they are overseeing this work,” says Smith.
Smith says, they must report back to them about how much wastewater was actually put into the harbour.
What can you do?
The utility asks that you limit your activity in the harbour for the time being.
This includes fishing, swimming and any contact as well as reducing any wastewater that you may create.
Work on the Halifax facility continues until April 30, then it will move to the Dartmouth facility from April 28 until June 2.
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