An underground leak was discovered in the Bragg Creek wastewater system July 23, resulting in some homeowners who use well water receiving a recommendation to boil their water before consuming.
According to Grant Kaiser, manager of communication services with Rocky View County (RVC), the leak was caused by the failure of a joint in a new part of the pipe that was installed the day before.
A press release issued by the county stated the contracted operator of the county’s Bragg Creek wastewater system noticed that sewage flows were less than normal and immediately launched an inspection to investigate the cause of the reduced flow.
“This is the first time we’ve seen a leak, so we’re very pleased that the checks and balances we put in place worked so well,” Kaiser said. “Crews detected that there was a problem, located the leak, closed off that section of pipe and began initial cleanup within a few hours – all without any disruption in service to the rest of the community.”
Kaiser noted the amount of effluent released was around 30 cubic metres and “poses no risk” to residents using the county’s water and wastewater systems, which remain fully operational.
“Any homes in the area that are still on well water have been asked to boil their drinking water as a precaution,” Kaiser said. “The county is working with Alberta Health Services to test well water in the area, and so far there have been no impacts.”
With fewer than 10 homes still using well water in the immediate area of the Community Centre where the leak occurred, Kaiser said the majority of residents will be unaffected. If any well water is found to be impacted, he said homeowners would be contacted individually to deal with the issue.
According to RVC reeve Margaret Bahcheli, Bragg Creek is familiar with boil water advisories. She said many of the septic fields in the area have had similar issues for decades, but new piping was being installed to connect the Bragg Creek Community Centre to the county’s wastewater service.
“We are working towards getting as many people as possible on to our system,” she said. “This leak was basically a hiccup in that process, and I’m impressed with how quickly it was discovered and fixed.”
Kaiser added the incident has been reported to Alberta Environment and Parks, and repairs to the affected areas would begin shortly.
“Obviously, we hope this will never happen again, but it’s good to know we are prepared to move quickly and effectively if it ever does,” he said.
