WINNIPEG — Residents in the city’s southwest neighbourhoods are no longer being asked to reduce their water consumption.
That’s because city crews have completed sewer interceptor crossing repairs at the Fort Garry Bridge.
The request came earlier in the week as the city continued to deal with an ongoing sewage leak into the Red River, which began on February 5.
A second pipe broke on February 7, causing another leak of untreated sewage. Crews had been working to build a bypass system at the bridge using two pumps to connect to the South End Sewage Treatment Plant.
More than 200 million litres of raw sewage leaked into the Red River as a result of the leak.
The city says the last spill ended at 12:13 a.m. on Wednesday, February 21.
“Using less water for day-to-day activities is always beneficial, and I especially want to thank residents for their cooperation over the last few days in reducing their water consumption,” said Tim Shanks, director of Water and Waste.
Shanks says crews will be continuously monitoring the bypass system to maintain its reliability. It’s expected the bypass system will be in place until the river crossing pipes that failed can be replaced. Work to replace the pipes will begin right away, with construction continuing in 2025.
Traffic impacts
Motorists can expect reduced speed limits on the Fort Garry Bridge, while the bypass system is in place, from 80 km/h down to 60 km/h. Both eastbound lanes are open; however, the lane widths are narrower. Intermittent lane closures may be required for various maintenance activities, which will aim to be done during off-peak hours.
