[Excerpts from Jan. 17 City of Winnipeg Press Release]
An independent review of the flooding at the North End Water Pollution Control Centre has concluded that “the event did not result through negligence” but that “the flooding was a result of inadequate operating and maintenance procedures.” The report, authored by Associated Engineering (B.C.) Ltd. and released today by the City of Winnipeg, contains 13 recommendations for improving plant design and operation and maintenance procedures.

The report recommends five design changes to the facility in order to reduce the chances of future flooding incidents and to isolate certain areas for safe maintenance work. The major recommendation includes the installation of sluice gates at the entrance to the areas where the pumps operate in order to stop the flow of sewage into the plant during routine maintenance or an emergency. The report also notes that several metal components in the plant are seriously corroded which could prevent the pumps and suction valves from operating properly.

The report’s eight operation and maintenance recommendations include: conducting a plant-wide risk assessment of equipment conditions, developing safe job procedures, providing options for managing and mitigating risks, and preparing an emergency response plan.

Full Release
Final Summary Report (1374K PDF file)

[If you come across news of regional interest, please email to asebring@emforum.org or submit via our Feedback Form.]