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\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nA \u201cservice disruption\u201d at the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Richmond resulted in raw, untreated wastewater flowing into the ocean for at least three hours Thursday afternoon, according to Metro Vancouver.<\/p>\n
In a statement, it says a large volume of rocky debris blocked treatment screening equipment around 2:40 p.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cOperations and maintenance crews were immediately deployed to clear the blockage and restore normal operations as safely and quickly as possible,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n
Bill Tieleman, the spokesperson for the Greater Vancouver Regional District Employees\u2019 Union (GVRDEU), says the issue meant Metro Vancouver needed to divert the flow of raw sewage, combined with stormwater from yesterday\u2019s rainfall, into the ocean.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe alternative of not dumping it out into the ocean through the outfall would be potentially sewers backing up, sewer lines being clogged and backing up, and having a real problem elsewhere,\u201d he told 1130 NewsRadio.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo that\u2019s the basic procedure they use during an emergency situation like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
He says the outflow pipe goes about seven kilometres into the ocean, avoiding Iona Beach and Musqueam First Nation along the coast.<\/p>\n
Tieleman says they aren\u2019t sure exactly how much raw sewage was released, but says it \u201cwasn\u2019t an insignificant amount.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe folks who are knowledgeable in the union that deal with the wastewater treatment plants estimate that would be hundreds of millions of litres of wastewater,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Metro Vancouver says wastewater diversion ended shortly after 6 p.m., just over three hours after it began. As of Friday morning, it says, three of the six damaged screens have been repaired, which is what is required for normal operations. There has been no expected impact on public health, and the cause of the incident is under investigation, it says.<\/p>\n
When contacted, the Ministry of Environment and Parks stated that they were aware of the reported emergency bypass of untreated wastewater at the Iona Wastewater Treatment Plant in Richmond.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe operator reported that a planned emergency bypass, directed to the deep ocean, was initiated at approximately 3:41 p.m. on July 2 and ended at approximately 6:17 p.m.\u201d<\/p>\n
Environmental Emergency Response Officers received and verified the operator\u2019s notification, provided notifications to potentially affected First Nations, and monitored the incident until the bypass ended, read the statement.<\/p>\n
\u2014 With files from Dean Recksiedler<\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\tThe exterior of the Iona Wastewater Treatment Plant on Friday March 21, 2025. (CityNews Image) <\/p>\n
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