UPDATE: Provincial Emergecy alert issued for Lac La Biche region
Due to overland flooding, our sanitary sewer system is in danger of overloading. Lift stations throughout Lac La Biche County are reaching critical levels. There is a possibility of sewer backups and basements flooding due to high rainfall.
Lac La Biche County officials are urging residents to cut back on their water consumption as some parts of the municipality's water and waste water management system struggle to keep up with increasing water levels.
In a statement released this afternoon, county officials are asking residents to "avoid all non-essential water usage at this time."
Municipal officials say that saturated ground and excessive runoff from extended rain storms over the last week have put stress on the capacities of some parts of the system.
"Water levels are reaching critical levels at a number of lift stations throughout Lac La Biche County, including the Plamondon lift station and the main lift station in the hamlet of Lac La Biche. Although the County is able to keep up with the water levels for the moment, this is an evolving situation," says municipal spokesperson Jihad Moghrabi.
The water usage caution will remain in place until there is a break in the steady rainfall that has settled over the region since the beginning of last week.
Road Closures
Water flooding has also caused the closure of several roads within the community, including portions of the bypass road and Highway 55 at the western entrance to the hamlet of Lac La Biche. For more road closure information, click here