Utilities Kingston asking residents to reduce water, sewer use after pump station failure

The City of Kingston is asking residents to conserve water and curb sewer use after an equipment failure at the River Street pumping station. Due to the system failure, sewage is overflowing from a reserve tank near Emma Martin Park.

Utilities Kingston is also asking residents to take steps to protect their basements from flooding.

“We are appealing to the public to conserve water and reduce sewer use to help reduce overflows and protect the environment,” says Jim Keech, president and CEO of Utilities Kingston. “All hands are on deck to assess the situation and then make repairs as quickly as possible.”

According to Utilities Kingston, the affected area is in city central, from the Cataraqui River west to the Little Cataraqui Creek and north to Highway 401.

Sewage is currently being directed away from the station and collected in a storage tank just upstream of the River Street pumping station in Emma Martin Park.

This large tank has approximately 12,000 cubic metres of capacity. Sewage is partially treated by the tank, but the city says the tank has exceeded capacity and that the partially treated sewage is overflowing into the water near the pumping station.

Keech said its currently unclear what lead a pipe in the pumping station to burst, and whether Thursday morning’s power outage in the city had anything to do with the failure.

Keech is advising that people do not swim in the water.

To reduce sewer use, Utilities Kingston is asking residents to use cottage rules for flushing, delay washing cars and wait to shower, wash clothes or run the dishwasher until this issue is repaired to lessen the burden on the sanitary system.

To protect basements from flooding, Utilities Kingston is asking residents to reduce household water use. Those who have a sanitary backwater valve are advised to check it for proper operation, remove high-value items from the basement and put other items into storage bins.