Cochrane under a state of local emergency with the risk of some communities having no water
An Alberta Emergency Alert has been issued after the Town of Cochrane, just west of Calgary, declared a local state of emergency Tuesday morning.
The town issued the emergency as a “result of the water and wastewater incident on Saturday, October 21, and the uncontrolled impacts to the Town of Cochrane’s water reservoir supply,” which are now at critical levels.
A main sewer line broke over the weekend, spewing sewage discharge that has been flowing into the Bow River at the Highway 22 bridge.
“These levels directly impact our ability to provide water to the community and ensure the required water resources to support emergency fire suppression, if required,” said Shawn Polley, ECC director for the Town of Cochrane.
“If water consumption continues at the current levels, we anticipate that some communities may soon be without water.”
The town said in a news release on its website that the water remains safe to drink in Cochrane; however, water reservoirs have reached a critical state.
The low water levels have impacted its ability to provide water to the community and ensure the required water resources to support emergency fire suppression if required.