It’s been a crappy week in Banff, with two sewage spills into local rivers.
A sewer pipe clogged with clumps of grease, rags, paper towels, baby wipes, even rubber gloves, forced an estimated 7.2 cubic metres of raw sewage out of a manhole under the bridge over the Spray River over a two-hour period early Sunday evening (Nov. 12).
In a separate incident four days earlier, human error led to an estimated 19 cubic metres of untreated sewage going into the Bow River over a 6.5-hour period on Nov. 8, when crews connected the wrong pipes during a sewage bypass from 1:30-7 p.m.
Town officials say the municipality had contracted a firm to video sewer pipes along Wolf Street, but managers did not become aware of the sewage incident until a debriefing on Tuesday (Nov. 14).
“We had verification today of an operator error on the Town’s part and on the contractor’s part that led to the discharge being connected to the storm main, which leads into the Bow River,” said Diana Waltmann, the Town’s director of communications.
“We’re currently investigating.”
Parks Canada and Alberta Environment were notified Tuesday. Neither agency was available for comment on the incident.
“We are awaiting a followup,” said Waltmann.
Waltmann said it’s estimated the 19 cubic metres of untreated of sewage would have discharged from the storm pipe. A full bathtub holds about one cubic metre of water.
“The discharge would have somewhat diluted by stormwater running, but I wouldn’t know how much,” she said.
In Sunday’s incident, raw sewage spilled into the Spray River in Banff after clumps of grease, rags and wipes clogged a sewer pipe, which is the catchment area for the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel.
It is not known exactly when the sewage discharge into the Spray River began, but it was reported at about 6 p.m. and crews had it dealt with in approximately two hours.
“A full bathtub is about one cubic metre, and during the time we were there, it was 10 full bathtubs,” said Paul Godfrey, the Town’s director of operations. “I think it’s significant. I think any surcharge to the environment is significant.”
Upon getting the report, the Town of Banff and Parks Canada were at the scene immediately.
A vacuum truck was used to unclog the pipe, which is only about two years old. Staff walked the riverbank with headlamps Sunday night trying to clean litter from the shore, such as wipes and rags, and were back out on Monday.
Parks Canada officials say it is unknown how long the sewage leak had been happening before it was reported at 6 p.m.
“Parks Canada law enforcement staff and officials from the Town of Banff have discussed the problem with the Banff Springs Hotel,” said Christie Thomson, a spokesperson for Banff National Park.
Thomson said Parks Canada wildlife staff visited the site, and deemed that there was not a wildlife attractant concern as a result of the sewage spill.
“Aquatics specialists will continue to monitor the site,” she said.
The Town of Banff has been trying to educate businesses and residents about what not to flush down sinks, drains and toilets amid concerns it will clog sewer lines – as Sunday’s incident is not the first time this has happened.
Earlier this year, grizzly bear 148 was attracted to raw sewage that backed out of a manhole on the slopes of Sulphur Mountain. The six-and-a-half-year-old grizzly has since been shot and killed by a hunter in Banff.
In 2012, a blocked pipe on the main sewage line connecting the Rimrock Resort Hotel, Banff Gondola and Parks Canada’s Upper Hot Springs to the treatment plant forced raw sewage out through a manhole cover.
“We’re encouraging people not to use the toilet as a garbage can,” said Godfrey.
