The blizzard that hit Esterhazy and area on April 29, dumping a huge amount of heavy, wet snow overnight, has created a possible crisis situation in Esterhazy and surrounding areas due to the additional water that is being added to already-overstressed systems in many communities.
As of May 4, Esterhazy had commissioned extra pumps to assist with removing excess water from the sanitary system in town. Mosaic has lent the town four trucks from Paul’s Hauling to assist with pumping water from the sanitary system, and the City of Yorkton has also lent Esterhazy a pump.
The lift stations have been stressed beyond capacity thanks to an already high volume of runoff which has created flood conditions in basements for some homeowners. With the additional runoff from the April 29 blizzard, more homeowners are pumping out flooded basements and the lift stations cannot handle the capacity from residents pumping water from their flooded basements into the sanitary system.
A lift station is a gravity-fed sewage system that is part of the sanitary system, and pumps the sewage going out to the lagoon from houses within town limits. All water from homes goes through a lift station to be pumped out to the lagoon, so water from washing machines, dishwashers, tubs, sinks and toilets end up passing through a lift station to the lagoon. The Town of Esterhazy is asking all residents to refrain from water usage as much as possible. Do not flush toilets unless absolutely necessary, do not run dishwashers unless absolutely necessary, minimize showering and taking baths, do not wash clothing unless necessary, and above all else, do not pump flood water into the sanitary system.
Provincial legislation came into effect in 1995 making it illegal for weeping tile and sump pumps to deposit their water into sanitary systems, and the Town of Esterhazy would like to remind residents of this law. All flood water should be pumped into the outdoor storm sewers, so that it does not go through a lift station, but rather ends up in creeks. Basement flood water is just water from rain, snow, or high water tables, and can safely go back into creeks along with water that normally runs into the street sewage system.
If the town lift stations do fail, it could result in sewer backups, and the community’s water supply could be compromised. Esterhazy could end up with a water advisory that mandates that all water be boiled, or even worse, the town could be without a water system until everything is back in order and up to provincially regulated standards.
For more information on this issue, call the Town of Esterhazy office at 745-3942.