City forced to pump water from Yellowknife Bay after leaks deplete reservoir

In the first three months of 2024, multiple water main breaks caused by frost and shifting ground resulted in Yellowknife's water reservoir being "depleted quickly."

That's according to a document from the city on the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board.

It explained that the city pumped water from Yellowknife Bay to make up for what was lost and exceeded the amounts it is typically allowed to take from the bay under its water licence, which is regulated by the board. 

The city's primary source of water comes from Yellowknife River, but it is allowed to use a limited amount of water from Yellowknife Bay for maintenance and emergency purposes.

Tim Morton, the manager of environmental impact and regulatory affairs for the city's department of public works and engineering, told CBC News the water main breaks were caused by frost and shifting ground.

He said this was the most water in recent memory that the city has needed to pump as the result of a water main break. 

"I don't have the data going back but in recent years this was the most," he said.

One break was on Woolgar Avenue in January; the other occurred on 41A Street near the Racquet Club. 

City pumped 61 times more water than allowed in March 

The maximum quantity of water that can be withdrawn from Yellowknife Bay per month in the water licence is 300 cubic metres, or 300,000 litres. According to a letter in the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board in March the city pumped 18,461,000 litres — the equivalent of seven and a half Olympic-size swimming pools or 61 times its normally permitted amount. 

March was the third month in a row that the city used more water from Yellowknife Bay than was permitted — in January, the city used 9,082,000 litres; and in February, it narrowly surpassed the limit by using 302,000 litres. 

Morton wrote in the city's letter to the board that the amount of water pumped was allowed because it was needed to prevent a potential emergency in the event there wasn't enough water in the reservoir for the city to use.

"The city's water reservoirs were being depleted quickly and additional pumping was required as the resident consumption exceeded the inflow capability of the Yellowknife River pumping station," he wrote.

Morton told CBC News the city needs to have a certain amount of water to ensure all emergency services such as firefighting and hospitals have access to what they need.

Morton said the city's usual 300,000-litre limit from Yellowknife Bay is enough only to test and maintain the pumps to make sure they're working in case of an emergency.

Abby Schelew, a spokesperson for the City of Yellowknife, wrote in an email that repairs have been completed on both water mains and there are no updates or replacements needed. 

The city's water licence allows it to use up to four billion litres of water annually, which is taken from Yellowknife River.