Biggest sewage spill in at least a decade dumps 135 million litres into Red River in Winnipeg

One of the biggest leaks of raw sewage into a Winnipeg river in recent years shows no signs of stopping.

More than 135 million litres of untreated sewage has spilled into the Red River from the outfall and river crossing at 3100 Abinojii Mikanah (formerly Bishop Grandin Boulevard) since Feb. 7.

In November, City of Winnipeg crews found problems with two river crossing sewer pipes near the Fort Garry Bridge, and one was taken out of service.

Work on a bypass system started on Feb. 5, leading to the closure of the southern bridge. But two days later, the other pipe broke and unleashed a deluge of raw sewage that has continued since.

"Due to this second failure, the work to assemble the bypass system over the bridge was accelerated," water and waste department spokesperson Lisa Marquardson wrote in an email Tuesday.

"We expect to put the bypass system into service over the next few days, at which time the sewage leak will stop and all traffic lanes should reopen."

The pipes, installed in 1970, direct sewage to the South End Sewage Treatment Plant.

The volume of sewage from this latest spill surpasses any others from at least the last 10 years, according to online records from the city.

A combined sewer overflow at 499 Tylehurst St. dumped 74.5 million litres of sewage into the Assiniboine River over nine days in March 2022.

The same year, 59.6 million litres went into the Red River from three points after the south end plant exceeded its capacity.

The biggest spill in the city's records happened in September 2002, when a mechanical failure at the North End Water Pollution Control Centre caused a spill into the Red River of 427 million litres of untreated sewage over a 57-hour period, Marquardson said.

Mayor Scott Gillingham says these events show why the city needs to spend millions of dollars to upgrade its sewer infrastructure.

"It's indicative to the reality of the City of Winnipeg — we're celebrating 150 years as a city, we have a lot of old infrastructure," he said during a news conference Tuesday.

"I'm not saying our sewer pipes are 150 years old, but some of our water and sewer pipes and infrastructure is very old."

Living wage motion fails to win support

Gillingham and members of his executive policy committee also voted Tuesday on a motion calling for a living wage for all city workers that appears headed for defeat.

The motion from Coun. Cindy Gilroy called on the city to study the Canadian Living Wage Framework and report to council in September.

One estimate from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives pegs a living wage in Winnipeg at $19.21 an hour.

The president of the city's largest union told the executive policy committee the cost would be minimal, pointing out that most city staff and contractors already make a living wage.

"But what it does is it puts us on a map as being an employer that values workers. It allows us to lead by example," Gord Delbridge, president of CUPE Local 500, told the committee on Tuesday.

The committee voted to take no action on the living wage motion, with only Coun. Sherri Rollins supporting the original proposal.

Gillingham said the idea would have significant costs to the city, as higher-paid workers would demand subsequent raises.

He also argued that the living wage calculation used by the union doesn't take into account benefits that city workers receive, and that collective bargaining should determine wages.

Vulcan Iron Works appeal hearing delayed

Earlier this week, another city committee heard that efforts to clean up the rubble at the former Vulcan Iron Works building in Point Douglas have been delayed again.

The owner of the property, Sheldon Blank, appealed a city order to clean it up.

He told the property and development committee he's fighting a provincial order requiring a wet demolition, due to possible asbestos contamination.

"We're trying to find a way so that … the cost of the demolition doesn't exceed the value of the property," Blank said at the committee meeting on Monday.

Blank asked the committee to adjourn hearing his appeal, while he negotiates with the province.

The hearing was pushed back until April 22.