Residents of Paradise are still awaiting emergency repairs on the sewer lift station on St. Thomas Line and Topsail Road, after a system failure early last week.

Town officials were first alerted to a problem at the station on the afternoon of Monday, August 12.

A week later, repairs are on hold as Mayor Dan Bobbett says crews are up against a complex situation. An issue with pipes in the facility is limiting the pumps’ ability to function. As such, they are not able to reduce levels enough to facilitate repairs.

Mayor Bobbett says the ongoing work comes at a cost of about $50,000 a day. He says the town will be in contact with the provincial government to help with the hefty unforeseen expense.

Pumper trucks and holding tanks have been on scene 24/7 to allow the station, which handles about 75 per cent of the town’s volume, to function.

Bobbett says equipment is being shipped to the town to handle the load, eliminating the need for pumper trucks. He says the new equipment will also allow them to lower levels enough for repairs to continue.

Currently, staff are working to pump waste from the facility, bringing it further down the line to eventually be processed at the St. Thomas Line Wastewater Treatment Plant.

He says there is currently no impact on residents, as washrooms should still function as per normal. The town’s water system is unaffected.

St. Thomas Line has reopened to traffic, as pumper trucks and holding tanks have been moved behind the facility. However, the town says there may be occasional disruptions as heavy equipment moves around in the area.

Mayor Bobbett says their focus now, is getting the essential service back up and running.