Sewage likely leaking into South Thompson River after pipe breaks in Kamloops

Sewage may be leaking into the Thompson River after a largesewer line broke Wednesday eveninginKamloops, B.C.

The city received a call at6 p.m. PTabout a sewage leak at 950 Lorne Street, at the Park Place complex.

City of Kamloopsutility services manager Greg Wightman saidcrews arrived on scene within 20 minutes, where they discovered a broken pipe.

"We're about a quarter of the way through our excavation right now, just trying to get down to the pipe and see what exactly it is that's broken there," Wightmantold CBC's Jenifer NorwellThursday morning.

Wightmanexpects to know how long the repairs will take by mid-afternoon Thursday.

Because the leak happened so close to the nearby Thompson River, a press release from the City of Kamloops said "it is likely that some sewage has entered the South Thompson River through nearby catch basins."

The Ministry of Environment has been notified of the problem.

This is the same area that was affected by asewer line breakin December 2016.

Wightman said there has been no property damage as a result of the leak.

"At this point, we don't know of any residents being impacted, other than the impact that we're digging a hole in the middle of a strata complex right now," he said.

The City of Kamloops is asking residents in East Kamloopstolimitwater usage until further notice to reduce further backup and minimize the environmental impact.

LorneStreet is closed totraffic between 8thAvenue and 10thAvenue.

With files from Jenifer Norwell