Timmins reports sewage spill at Whitney-Tisdale Pump Station #5 on Florence Street; end time and volume listed as TBD

The City of Timmins says a sewage spill occurred at Whitney-Tisdale Pump Station #5, at 45 Florence St., starting April 16, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. In a spill report posted April 17, the city listed the end date, end time and the volume of wastewater bypassed as “TBD.”

The city’s notice includes a general explanation of how bypasses and overflows can happen in a municipal wastewater system and asks residents to conserve water during rainstorms.

According to the city, municipal wastewater consists of 99% water from stormwater and from homes and businesses, such as from washing and flushing. The city says a bypass or overflow can occur when a treatment plant or treatment process is overwhelmed.

The city says these events are often caused by heavy rainfall and/or snowmelt.

During a bypass or overflow, the city says partially treated wastewater is diverted away from a treatment process to prevent backups, overflows or damage to the system.

In the report, the city asked residents to conserve water during rainstorms by delaying or limiting “unnecessary usage” such as laundry, long showers or running the dishwasher. “No wipes in the pipes!” the city wrote.

The city’s spill report did not provide a cause for the sewage spill at Pump Station #5.