The Peterborough Wastewater Treatment Plant is currently experiencing a partial bypass, with some partially treated effluent being discharged into the Otonabee River following primary treatment and disinfection.
The bypass is a result of extreme wet conditions that have led to significantly higher-than-normal water flows. The volume of wastewater entering the system has exceeded the plant’s capacity, prompting the need to divert some flow past the secondary treatment stage.
City officials emphasize that all discharged water is undergoing at least primary treatment—including screening, primary settling, and UV disinfection—before entering the river. The plant continues to process as much volume as possible through full secondary treatment.
Residents downstream who draw water from the Otonabee River are advised to take necessary precautions. However, municipal water supplied by the City of Peterborough remains unaffected and safe to drink.
Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates as conditions evolve.
