Break-in at MacKay bridge caused sewage to be released into Halifax Harbour

A break-in at the MacKay Bridge resulted in an unknown quantity of sewage behind dumped into the Halifax Harbour on Saturday.

A spokesperson from Halifax Harbour Bridges (HHB) confirmed to Global News that at approximately 3:40 a.m. on Saturday there was a power outage on the bridge, with their intrusion alarms and security cameras indicating there was someone on the catwalk under the MacKay Bridge.

The person was able to access an electrical panel and turned off breakers which impacted cameras and navigational lights on the bridge.

READ MORE: Raw sewage flowing into the LaHave River in Bridgewater, N.S.

Halifax Water says one of their repeaters was affected as a result of the outage — and although power was restored by 7:30 a.m. — it caused sewage to be released into the harbour.

James Campbell, a spokesperson for the department, said the repeater linked five pumping stations along the harbour.

Nova Scotia’s department of environment told Global News that the release occurred at the Ferguson Street, King Street, Park Avenue, Lyle Street and Melva Street stations.

Campbell says sewage — which had been screened at the stations for floatable materials — was released as a result of the outage.

“The loss of communications information to the pumping stations resulted in screened overflows into the harbour through those pumping stations,” he said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The loss of communications information to the pumping stations resulted in screened overflows into the harbour through those pumping stations," he said.

Campbell said a similar release would have occurred during a heavy rain.

He said the organization didn’t inform the public of the release because “the public is aware screened overflows occur following heavy rain.”

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Halifax Water and Nova Scotia’s department of environment say the quantity of sewage released into Halifax Harbour is not yet known.

An environment spokesperson told Global News on Tuesday that one of their inspectors is looking into the situation.

Halifax Regional Police are investigating the incident and Alison MacDonald, a spokesperson for the HHB said they are taking the security breach “very seriously.”

“We have increased security of the bridges in recent years with fencing, cameras and lighting,” said MacDonald.

“We are reviewing all security and implementing immediate and longer-term measures to ensure this doesn’t happen again.”

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