Town of Stettler crews are busy flushing sewer mains now that spring has arrived.
“Every spring we flush the mains by dividing the town into four quadrants,” said Melissa Robbins, director of operational services. “So we’ll flush every sewer main in that quadrant on a rotating four-year schedule.
“When we flush the mains we use high pressure and water to clean out any debris in the lines. When our jet goes down the main it pulls anything out of the line with it and sometimes that can create a sewer gas smell.
“Most people should not be impacted by it, but if you are we suggest running your water and flushing toilets to clear the smell,” she added. “If for some reason they’re having a problem still, we advise checking their plumbing stacks in the house to ensure there are no blockages.
“Sometimes birds build nests in them and those gases are supposed to go out the plumbing stack to the roof of the house,” said Robbins. “Also, if you notice a gutter is blocked with leaves, we ask residents to pick stuff out of the catch-basin to allow for a better flow of water.”
Signs reminding residents of the main flushes have been posted on street corners. Anyone experiencing sewer back-ups are also asked to cover their drains, and they may need to fill them afterwards.
Additional questions can be directed to the Town of Stettler at 403-742-8305.
With the spring melt underway, the town is also monitoring river levels in the area, but are not seeing the rising waters that Drumheller and Wayne have seen over recent days.
“Red Willow Creek is high with the snow melt, but it’s not causing us any major problems, with the exception of the pathway out to the cemetery.”
“That’s an area where Red Willow Creek is known to flood its banks, but other than that there are a few areas we are monitoring to keep ditches flowing,” said Robbins.
landin.chambers@stettlerindependent.com
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