An electrical fault at a wastewater lift station has been blamed for the release of raw and partially treated sewage onto West Coast Road at around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
A wastewater lift station contains a pump that moves wastewater or sewage from a lower to higher elevation in a collection system.
The station’s monitoring system indicated a fault around 5 p.m., said the District of Sooke. Effluent began overflowing onto West Coast Road about 30 minutes later, while action was being taken to respond to the issue, the district said.
The district dispatched a pump truck to remove the discharge from the roadway and workers cleaned up any remaining effluent.
Paul Bohemier, manager of wastewater services at the municipality, said in a statement the district will investigate the incident to prevent a recurrence, and will look at any environmental impact. “However, early indications show containment within the road and no significant environmental impact.”
An electrical contractor fixed the fault, leading to restoration of service at around 6:45 p.m. No households suffered service interruptions during the event, the district said.
The municipality said it’s working on expanding wastewater plant capacity, which includes an upgrade to the force main — pipelines that convey wastewater under pressure — in the affected area.
