Water & Wastewater Incident: Update #8

Red box 'attention please'

As crews continue to respond to the water and wastewater incident in Cochrane, the Town of Cochrane remains focused on three primary objectives: 

  1. Stop sewage flow to the Bow River. 
  2. Communicate accurate and timely information to our stakeholders. 
  3. Maintain effective and safe drinking water and reservoir levels. 

As we shared on October 22, the impact to the water pipeline has resulted in a significant loss of water from our water storage facilities. We continue to implore the community to reduce water consumption. 

Today, we have taken the added steps of restricting water to the area hotels and vehicle dealership located directly northwest of the site, as we work to complete repairs to the wastewater line. This is a temporary measure and we appreciate their cooperation during this time. 

In addition, we have reached out to some of our largest water users to request their support in reducing their water use as much as possible. This includes the temporary closure of Spray Lake Sawmills Centre. 

We are engaging a major hauling operating to help stabilize the water reservoirs and maintain water levels. During this operation, residents may see water trucks in their neighbourhood filling from the fire hydrants. This action will not impact water pressure or availability.

What we want residents to know: 

  • As crews work to bring Town water reservoirs back up to normal capacity, all residents and local businesses are asked to do their part to reduce water consumption to avoid any further potential community impacts. 
  • The pathways adjacent to the Bow River from the HWY 22 bridge to Griffin Industrial Point remain closed for the safety of all residents, including the Jim Uffelmann Memorial Park. 
  • Please continue to avoid the area.
  • We are committed to keeping you updated. As new information becomes available or the situation evolves, updates will be posted to the Town website and social media channels. 

This is a complex and quickly evolving situation and we appreciate your cooperation as we continue to respond. 

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