Heavy rainfall that occurred during Monday evening has created a combined stormwater and wastewater overflow along the shoreline in Greater Victoria.
According to the Capital Regional District, the affected area is at Ruland Road in Oak Bay.
In a release issued on Tuesday morning, the CRD is cautioning residents to avoid entering the waters around the affected area, pointing out that the wastewater may pose health risks.
The CRD says it will be posting public health advisory signs on these beaches until sample results indicate enterococci levels are below the 70CFU/100mL recreational limit.
Updates can be monitored on the CRD website or on its social channels.
Typically, with heavy rainfall, Oak Bay’s pipes – which also helps drain Saanich and the Uplands – overflows.
The default setting brings the wastewater into the ocean.
The wastewater discharge is released in underground pipes a fair ways from shore — not through the visible drains, you may see on the beach – however, as a precaution, beaches are closed until the water is tested for contamination.
The province has ordered that the ageing single pipe systems across the province, be remediated within 50 years, but Oak Bay is trying to get it done in the next few years.
Graham Cox
