A section of Highway 14 was covered with sewage on Sept. 6 after a lift station electrical fault, the District of Sooke says.

The Sooke Wastewater treatment plant鈥檚 monitoring system alerted staff of the fault at 5 p.m., approximately 30 minutes after responding to the issue. The lift station started overflowing near 6872 West Coast Rd., releasing about five cubic metres of waste.

While an electrical contractor worked to resolve the fault, a pump truck was deployed to clear the roadway. Further cleanup efforts were undertaken to ensure the removal of any remaining discharge.

Station operation was restored around 6:45 p.m. There were no service interruptions to households.

According to district spokesperson Christina Moog, an investigation discovered the electrical fault was due to a manufacturing defect.

鈥淭he system has been tested and is functioning appropriately, and we have no reason to believe there would be a reoccurence in the forseeeable future,鈥� she said.

No contamination was visible as the spillage occurred on the road, Moog said, and immediate dilution and cleanup measures were implemented to prevent contamination.

Sooke Environmental Services is investigating, and the provincial Environment Ministry has been notified.

The district is working to expand the wastewater plant capacity, which includes a force main upgrade in the area.

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