City deploying bypass pumps as precautionary measure following heavy rains

City staff have again set up bypass pumps in the New Bohemia and Czech Village neighborhoods, in order to mitigate heavy rains that are believed to be causing an increase in sanitary sewer flows.

The City has been carefully monitoring these sewer flows after heavy rains last Thursday caused sewer backups in basements.

With any heavy rain event, the City's sanitary sewer system will see an increase in infiltration and inflow. However, the flow volumes experienced last week and again today are unusual. For this reason, five temporary bypass pumps have again been deployed.

There is no immediate danger of sewer backups. City staff are being proactive in employing bypass pumps as a precautionary measure.

Staff are currently working to isolate where the increase in infiltration and inflow is occurring. The cause of the increased sewer flow has not been attributed to any current construction project near the river. Hundreds of manholes and thousands of feet of pipe have been inspected since last Thursday's event to ensure that the sanitary sewer system is secure and in proper condition.

The City's investigation will continue until the cause has been determined.