City of Nelson: Update on Wastewater Pipeline Leak
April 4, 2024
Nelson, BC – The City of Nelson wishes to inform the public of a recent event on March 27th involving the City's wastewater pipeline system that runs along the bottom of Kootenay River to the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. The issue was quickly identified by treatment plant operators and reported to the Province. A professional dive team mobilized over the weekend to find and repair the problem. The divers found that the issue was a displacement of a rubber gasket from a prior repair, resulting in a minor leakage.
In all, the displacement of the gasket resulted in an opening not much bigger than the size of a loonie. It is essential to clarify that there was no pipeline failure. The rubber gasket naturally repositioned itself back into place, stopping the leak even before the divers arrived on site. The dive team successfully reinforced the gasket to ensure its stability and is now conducting a comprehensive secondary inspection of the entire pipeline to confirm its overall condition.
In collaboration with an extensive provincial Coordination Team*, it was determined that the seepage rate was negligible. Given the minor scale of the leakage and the rapid response, the team deemed it unnecessary to issue an immediate public advisory.
During this event, which lasted approximately four days, the average leakage was estimated at approximately 1,000 cubic metres per day. For context, the Kootenay River flow in this location is 36 million cubic metres per day. Even though the leak was minor, the City of Nelson, along with the Coordination Team, took this event very seriously.
"I want to acknowledge our staff's swiftness and commitment to maintaining our vital infrastructure. Our team's ongoing rapid response in situations like these helps ensure our community remains safe," says Mayor Janice Morrison of Nelson. "We approach these matters with the seriousness they deserve. Remarkably, in this scenario, the solution was found in dilution. I am profoundly grateful for the patience and understanding of our community as we navigate these challenges together."
The City of Nelson is dedicated to environmental stewardship and public safety. We are proactively prioritizing the replacement of the impacted pipeline as part of our long-term infrastructure planning. This strategic approach aims to prevent future occurrences and maintain the highest standards of community service. Click here to learn more about the City of Nelson’s work around Liquid Waste Management (LWM) and participate in our LWM survey.
We extend our gratitude to the public for their patience and understanding. The City values your feedback and encourages residents to reach out with any concerns or inquiries.
Media Contact:
Charlie Henderson, Director of Public Works chenderson@nelson.ca
*Note: The Coordination Team included the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV), Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR), Ministry of Land, Water and Resource Stewardship (LWRS), Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Interior Health, First Nation Health Authority (FNHA), Regional District of Central Kootenay (RDCK), Regional District of Kootenay Boundary (RDKB), and the City of Nelson.