We’re learning more about how this week’s rainfall and flooding impacted the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Officials say because of elevated volumes, a secondary bypass was initiated at the plant to protect the treatment process, allowing partially treated effluent to be discharged to Lake Nipissing.
Officials say the effluent must still meet certain Ministry of Environment (MOE) requirements, and the city reports to the MOE each time it occurs.
“The high inflows to the plant also caused the primary treatment tanks to overflow, resulting in partially treated wastewater spilling onto the site and onto a portion of Memorial Drive,” states a release. “City crews acted quickly to close the street and to clean the overflow.”
Memorial Drive reopened a few hours after it was closed on Tuesday.
On Wednesday afternoon, the city said while influent flows have started to decline, the facility continues to operate under bypass conditions.
