Update - 8:15 a.m. March 12, 2026
Please note the following updates:
- An overflow (full bypass) at the headworks that started at 4:50 a.m. on March 11, 2026, ended at 8:17 p.m. on March 11, 2026
- A partial bypass of the UV system that started at 5:30 a.m. on March 11, 2026, ended at 1:25 a.m. March 12, 2026
- An overflow (full bypass) at the Minnesota St pumping station at 5:54 a.m. on March 11, 2026, ended at 2:55 a.m. March 12, 2026
During a partial bypass, no raw or untreated sewage was discharged into the bay, and the Town's drinking water was not affected.
All wastewater is going through the WWTP and being disinfected by UV or chlorine, with monitoring, testing and reporting being completed as required.
Thank you to the residents who limited their water usage today. No further water restrictions are in place at this time.
March 11, 2026 - 10:20 a.m. - With the significant rainfall received in Collingwood last night, the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) is currently experiencing a full treatment bypass.
• An overflow (full bypass) at the headworks that started at 4:50 a.m. on March 11, 2026
• A partial bypass of the UV system that started at 5:30 a.m. on March 11, 2026
• An overflow (full bypass) at the Minnesota St pumping station at 5:54 a.m. on March 11, 2026
Monitoring, testing and reporting are being completed as required. The Town will provide further details on the bypass when the event is over
What can residents do to help?
More rain is expected to arrive this afternoon. Therefore, the overflows and by-passes are expected throughout the day.
The Town is asking residents to limit water use during this time to alleviate pressure on the sanitary system. Avoid doing laundry, limit showers and toilet flushing, etc.
Please ensure your sump pumps are functioning properly. Controlled overflows like this can occur during heavy rain events to relieve pressure in the system and help prevent sewage from backing up into homes and flooding basements.
If you have a backwater valve on your sanitary line, check that it is working properly throughout the day. If it is preventing system waste from entering your plumbing, your waste will not be able to drain out.