Winnipeg’s North End Sewage Treatment Plant (CITY OF WINNIPEG / FILE)
The City of Winnipeg has created an email alert system to immediately notify the public when there’s an untreated sewage spill.
The city has been reporting the incidents online for nearly 20 years, but the new feature allows anyone to sign up to be notified.
“The release of untreated sewage is usually caused by a disruption in our sewer system,” the city said in a release on Friday. “These reports explain what happened to cause the leak and what actions we took to resolve it. Some examples of a disruption include a broken pipe, a water main break or a power outage.”
The new online feature comes weeks after more than 200 million litres of untreated raw sewage leaked into the Red River. While crews worked to implement temporary repairs, the city advised residents in the southwest to reduce their water usage.
