City of Peterborough Encourages Temporary Water Conservation Due to Significant Rainfall

Residents are encouraged to temporarily reduce non-essential water use to help lower the volume of water being processed by the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

file photo.

Forecasts indicate significant rainfall over the next several days, combined with increased runoff from upstream areas, including the Haliburton-Reservoir Lakes region. This is increasing the volume of water entering the municipal wastewater system and placing additional pressure on sewer infrastructure. 

The Wastewater Treatment Plant is experiencing higher-than-normal flows. It is operating within capacity, and treatment is taking place as expected. 

During major wet weather events, rainwater can reach the sanitary sewer through foundation drains, cracks in pipes and improperly connected sump pumps or downspouts. This additional flow, known as inflow and infiltration, adds to the volume that must be carried and treated. 

To help manage these temporary increases, residents are encouraged to reduce non-essential water use for short periods during significant rainfall events. When many households take steps to limit indoor water use, these actions help lower peak flows and reduce pressure on sewer pipes and pumping stations during extreme conditions. 

Residents can assist by delaying laundry and dishwasher use, taking shorter showers, avoiding full bathtub fills and turning off taps when not in use. Homeowners can also help reduce stormwater entering the sanitary system by ensuring sump pumps discharge outside, keeping downspouts disconnected from sanitary sewers and directing roof drainage away from foundations.

For more information on water conservation during weather events, visit the website.

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City of Peterborough Encourages Temporary Water Conservation During Wet-Weather Events

The City of Peterborough is encouraging residents to temporarily reduce non-essential water use to help lower the volume of water entering the City of Peterborough Wastewater Treatment Plant.

Photo courtesy of the City of Peterborough.

The City is issuing the warning following heavy snowmelt and a winter with substantial snow accumulation, with heavy rainfall forecast for Wednesday.

According to the City, heavy rainfall and spring snowmelt can significantly increase the amount of water entering the municipal wastewater system, placing additional pressure on the sewer infrastructure during wet-weather events.  

The Wastewater Treatment Plant is experiencing higher-than-normal flows of water into the facility for treatment. It is operating within capacity and treatment is taking place as expected. 

During major wet-weather events, rainwater and melting snow can enter the sanitary sewer through foundation drains, cracks in pipes, and improperly connected sump pumps or downspouts. This additional flow, known as inflow and infiltration, adds to the volume that must be carried and treated. 

To help manage these temporary increases, residents are encouraged to reduce non-essential water use for short periods during significant rainfall or snowmelt events. When many households take simple steps to limit indoor water use, these actions help lower peak flows and reduce pressure on sewer pipes and pumping stations during extreme conditions.

Residents can assist by delaying laundry and dishwasher use, taking shorter showers, avoiding full bathtub fills and turning off taps when not in use. Homeowners can also help reduce stormwater entering the sanitary system by ensuring sump pumps discharge outside, keeping downspouts disconnected from sanitary sewers, and directing roof drainage away from foundations. 

These actions help reduce pressure on the wastewater system during wet weather periods.

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Residents Asked To Temporarily Reduce Water Consumption

The ongoing rainfall and snowmelt is causing a significantly increased volume of water to enter the Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sewage Pumping Stations, the City of Peterborough says in a media release.

As a result of the current conditions, the Wastewater Treatment plant is in secondary by-pass mode, which means that effluent leaving the plant has received the initial cleaning treatment but has not received the final polishing treatment. In addition, the Park Street Pumping Station is in by-pass mode, which means that some raw sewage is entering the Otonabee River.

As such, property owners downstream of Peterborough who use private systems to draw water from the river are advised to take precautions and boil water. City of Peterborough residents are not required to boil water, as the municipal drinking water system is not impacted.

File photo

The City of Peterborough is asking residents to reduce water consumption to help alleviate the volume of water flowing through the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant and Sewage Pumping Stations.

Residents can reduce their water consumption by taking short showers instead of baths, limiting or delaying loads of laundry, limiting or delaying dishwasher use, and turning off taps while brushing teeth and doing dishes.

In addition, area residents are reminded of the dangerous conditions posed by the wet ground and fast flowing water, and are advised to stay well back of the shorelines of area lakes, rivers and streams. Similarly, residents are asked to remain away from dam structures and piers.

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