Halifax Water to divert millions of cubic metres of wastewater into Halifax harbour

Halifax Water will be diverting millions of cubic metres of wastewater into Halifax harbour and the Bedford Basin in the coming week due to maintenance at treatment facilities.

The utility said it needs to replace UV lighting equipment at its facilities in Halifax and Dartmouth, which will cause them to be shut down for different periods of time.

"Unfortunately, the way the system is set up, we cannot divert wastewater to other locations," said Brittany Smith, senior communications adviser for Halifax Water.

The work at the Halifax facility begins on Monday and should last approximately five days, Smith said. 

This project will result in approximately two million cubic metres of wastewater to be released into the harbour from 14 approved relief points between the Fairview neighbourhood and downtown Halifax, according to Halifax Water. 

"We would not recommend people go swimming in the water or have contact with the water [during this time]," Smith said in an interview. 

The utility is asking residents in this area to reduce their use of running water. That includes flushing toilets less often and less use of washing machines. 

Maintenance at the facility in Dartmouth, N.S., is scheduled to start April 28 and is expected to take four weeks.

The utility said it will divert approximately four million cubic metres of wastewater into the harbour from 11 locations between the MacKay Bridge and Eastern Passage.

Residents in this area will be asked to conserve water use as well. Halifax Water said it will provide more information on exactly when this work will take place prior to the start date.

Diversion happens every year, but not this much

Halifax Water regularly diverts wastewater into the harbour due to facility maintenance, but the volume is typically lower because it hasn't had to shut down an entire treatment facility, Smith said.

"We do this usually every year, typically, depending on what maintenance is required inside the facilities," she said. 

Smith said Halifax Water has released up to 500,000 cubic metres of wastewater into the harbour on two separate occasions since last September, but has never released as much as the planned amount over the coming week.