A sewage flow control cabinet north of 54 Avenue was destroyed by a fire on January 8, leaving residents in the Forest Heights and Tri-City Estates areas at a heightened risk of sewage back-ups.
“We are devastated and frustrated by this level of deliberate destruction,” said Mayor Craig Copeland. “It’s clear the infrastructure was targeted for some reason, but we can only make guesses as to why. everything is destroyed.”
The control cabinet, which monitored surges in the sanitary sewer system for the affected areas, is critical for preventing sewer back-ups. With the cabinet destroyed, city staff will now need to monitor surge levels manually until a replacement system is installed.
“Control cabinets and infrastructure like this can’t just be replaced overnight,” added Copeland. “Staff will be working diligently to monitor the situation, but we urge residents to remain vigilant and watch for backflow in any lower-level bathrooms.”
Although there are no immediate concerns of sewer surges, the city advises residents in the affected areas to take precautions.
The control cabinet was located in an area that has recently been a hotspot for homeless camps, which Municipal Enforcement teams have been actively clearing.
The cost to replace the system is expect to exceed $20,000, with no timeline yet for when the replacement will be completed. The incident remains under investigation.
