The City of Edmonton joined other Alberta municipalities urging residents to avoid unnecessary indoor water use Sunday after heavy rainfall pushed local wastewater systems to capacity.
Edmonton issued a water supply alert just before 9 p.m. MT Sunday night.
Earlier Sunday, residents of some Central Alberta municipalities, including Beaumont, Leduc County and St. Albert were urged to cease all non-essential water use immediately until further notice and to refrain from showering, flushing toilets and using laundry machines and dishwashers.
“These steps help reduce the load on the wastewater system,” the City of Beaumont said on its website.
“If the wastewater system continues to operate over-capacity, flooding and sewer backups will continue to increase,” the advisories read.
Localized flooding and backups have been reported to city officials, the alerts from around 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. say.
Beaumont is 30 kilometres south of Edmonton and St. Albert is around 18 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.
The advisories from the cities of Beaumont and St. Albert came after Environment Canada issued a heavy rainfall warning for the Edmonton region.
An estimated 50 to 75 millimetres of rain had fallen as of early Sunday morning.
The City of Beaumont also asked residents to avoid driving or walking in areas where manhole covers have become dislodged or where there is evidence of flooding.
“During heavy rain, manhole covers can become dislodged due to increased water and air pressure within the sewer and stormwater system,” the city wrote on its website.
There is an increasing likelihood that we’re going to be setting an all-time June monthly record in rainfall.– Kyle Brittain, weather specialist
It’s unclear how long the alert will last for Beaumont, said Mike Berezowsky, a spokesperson for the city.
“It’s really going to depend on how much rain falls over the next day and how much of that water we can get through our system.
“But at least for the next day, we’re going to need people to really help us out by reducing their non-essential water usage,” he said, noting Beaumont has seen an initial decrease in water use since the advisory was put in place.
The towns of Morinville, Westlock, Barrhead, and Stony Plain have posted on social media, urging residents to reduce water consumption immediately and avoid all non-essential water use until the rain passes.
Morinville wrote online that it is “responding to a high volume of after-hours emergency calls, and the wastewater system is operating at capacity.”
Westlock is around 90 kilometres northwest of Edmonton, and Morinville is closer at 40 kilometres northwest of the city.
Lac Ste. Anne County and Beaver County are also at risk of widespread overland flooding, impacting multiple roads.
Non-essential travel is currently discouraged as crews assess conditions and manage potential closures.
There are currently no active mandatory evacuation orders for Lac Ste. Anne County, but Beaver County warned residents to prepare for potential evacuation.
Foundation repair expert warns of flooded basements
Todd Ivanchenko, president of Shield Foundation Repair, said it’s normal to be nervous about potential flooding, but there are steps to prevent the worst from happening.
“I too would be freaking out and panicking with all this, with all the moisture coming in,” he said in an interview with CBC News.
To prevent flooding, he recommends homeowners get their sump pump inspected and ensure their downspout is on to move water away from the home.
“Make sure your eaves are free and clear debris so it’s not allowing the water just to spill out next to the house.”
If water does get inside your home, Ivanchenko said the best you can do to mitigate the damage is move belongings away from wet areas or pull carpet or laminate flooring back to contain the water.
On its website, the City of Beaumont said if a resident’s basement is flooding, they must immediately stop using water in the home, move valuables away from affected areas and contact insurance companies, who can advise on next steps.
Alberta to see more rain by June’s end: expert
More rain is forecast for coming days, with Environment Canada predicting up to an additional 75 millimetres by the time the rain tapers off on Monday.
Storm total rainfall amounts are expected to be 75 to 150 mm.
This rainfall is unprecedented, according to Kyle Brittain, a weather specialist in Alberta.
“There is an increasing likelihood that we’re going to be setting an all-time June monthly record in rainfall,” he said.
With even more rain expected later in the month, the risk of potential flooding is high because the ground can’t absorb all of the rainfall at once, he said.
“If we do end up with a very excessive rainfall event … and another one comes through at the end of the month in quick succession, we could be looking at the risk of flooding with the next event as well, especially in areas that are already wet,” Brittain said.
There’s a bright side — and downside — to all this rain, he said.
“It’s going to be green, but the mosquitoes are going to be coming for everybody soon.”
