Comox Valley lifts emergency water restrictions after sewer leak repairs

Residents in B.C.'s Comox Valley can resume normal use of toilets, dishwashers and washing machines after repairs to a major sewer leak.

Residents in B.C.’s Comox Valley can resume normal use of toilets, dishwashers and washing machines after the regional district announced Tuesday that repairs to a major sewer leak were complete.

In an update, the Comox Valley Regional District said a sewage leak that occurred earlier in the day near the Comox Marina had stopped and spill response was underway.

The emergency resulted in the district asking residents in Courtenay, Comox and the K’omoks First Nation to stop all non-essential water use involving water that drains into the sewage system.

Area resident Steve Jones said the regional district sent out text messages and emails around noon, notifying residents of the issue.

Jones said he visited the Comox Marina, where he saw the leak coming from the pump station and flowing into the ocean.

“It was really smelly. It was really bad because of the way the wind was blowing,” said Jones, adding he didn’t stay long.

Jones also posted a video of the sewage leak on his Facebook page, saying, “I think they should have at least thrown some hay bales across the creek to catch some of the solids.”

He said he lives in an area not connected to the city’s sewer system, allowing him to flush toilets.

“The urban areas are connected to the central sewage system, and then if you’re outside of the boundaries, a lot of people are still on individual septic systems with a septic tank and a septic field,” said Jones.

Jones said he has to pay for all the maintenance and get his septic system pumped out occasionally, but had no complaints Tuesday.

“For today, it’s a lucky day,” said Jones.

A fairly large amount of raw sewage was flowing into the ocean for hours, he said.

“I imagine there will be a lot of environmental monitoring in the weeks ahead,” said Jones.

The district said people should not harvest shellfish or other marine resources from the area affected by the spill. It also warned people to avoid swimming or boating in the ocean near the shoreline, as well as in the areas of Goose Spit and Comox Marina, until further notice.

There has been no effect on the safety of the drinking water supply.

Kris La Rose, the district’s engineering services general manager, earlier said that stopping all use of water draining into the sewage system was helping crews in their effort to stop the leak.

Places shuttered by the leak included Comox Valley’s sport centre, aquatic centre and exhibition grounds, as well as all Courtenay city park washrooms, outbuildings and field houses.

Jones said he expects there to be large tides in the middle of June that will hopefully help flush out the waste.

“The sewage systems are something we kind of take for granted, and these things are sometimes a good reminder for people of being prepared,” said Jones.

“Because if there’s a big earthquake or other natural disasters, we might not have these central services for some period of time.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 26, 2026.