A weekend deluge that dropped nearly 90 millimetres of rain on Barrhead pushed the town’s wastewater system past its limit, forcing officials to ask everyone to stop showering, flushing toilets, and using washing machines until the water receded. By Monday, most of those restrictions were lifted, but the Barr Manor neighbourhood remained under a continued water-use advisory.
The Town of Barrhead issued an emergency alert on Sunday, June 21, after about 89 mm of rain fell over June 20 and 21. The wastewater treatment system could not keep up, raising the risk of sewer backups and flooding. The alert was part of a wider weather event that also led to water-use warnings in Edmonton, St. Albert, Beaumont, Morinville, and Westlock.
By June 22, the town said restrictions had been lifted for all residents outside Barr Manor, which is bordered by 49 Street (Highway 33) to 60 Street and 50 Avenue to 60 Avenue. People in that area must still limit non-essential water use until further notice. The County of Barrhead also reported several road closures on June 23 due to washouts, including Range Road 24 north of Highway 651, Township Road 613 between Range Road 32 and Secondary Highway 769, and wp Rd 624A west of Secondary Highway 769.
The weekend’s strain on the wastewater system comes as the town faces a much bigger infrastructure bill. New provincial standards require Barrhead to sharply cut ammonia and phosphorus in the treated water it releases into the Paddle River. Town council has been told those upgrades could cost up to $22 million. Chief Administrative Officer Collin Steffes has said that even with grants covering about 48 percent of the cost, the remainder would push the municipality past its legal borrowing limit.
The Barrhead Regional Water Commission, an independent body made up of local municipalities, owns the region’s water infrastructure, including the treatment plant and pipelines. The Town of Barrhead buys water from the commission and resells it to residents.
