Comox Harbour sewage leak: Water quality monitoring continues following spill

Water quality testing and modelling are underway in the Comox Harbour after a sewage leak in Courtenay, B.C., with officials still working to determine how contamination is moving through the area and what it means for ongoing public safety.

“While the immediate threat of the spill has been resolved, there is much more work to be done,” said Charlie Gore, senior manager of capital projects delivery with the Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) in a statement. “We understand that many are eager for results of this testing/modelling, and we are committed to sharing information as soon as we’re able.”

The CVRD says early sampling between May 26 and May 28 showed the highest levels of contamination were concentrated close to the spill site on the east side of the Comox Harbour Authority area, near the breakwater and shoreline. Testing farther out into the harbour did not initially show the same levels of concern.

Since then, crews have expanded monitoring to additional locations as they track how wastewater is dispersing from the affected area. That data is being fed into modelling work designed to help predict where contaminants may travel and guide any updates to water use advisories.

Officials say they expect an update on the modelling by June 5. They note that lab results take about 72 hours to process and that several rounds of sampling are needed to build a reliable picture of conditions.

The CVRD says it will continue to work with provincial and federal partners as more data becomes available.

In the meantime, those in the area are being advised to avoid swimming, playing in, or fishing from waters near the spill site, where testing continues to show unsafe levels of bacteria.

The cause of the leak remains under investigation, and officials say there is no timeline yet for when that work will be completed.