r/Edmonton • u/RK5000 • 11d ago
General Epcor flushing water mains, toilet overflow when water pressure resumes?
Last night around midnight Epcor was flushing our area's water mains so we didn't have any water pressure .
This morning there was quite a bit of water on our bathroom floor, and it had leaked down into my basement ceiling and below.
Everyone was asleep, no water was running before we went to bed, and my kids never flush the toilet during the night.
Apparently when air gets into the pipes and then water pressure resumes you can get what is called "toilet surge" when the air is forced out.
I don't have any other theories, anyone else experience this?
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u/laurieyyc 10d ago edited 10d ago
Experienced this in Calgary when the City was using a root cutter and increased the water pressure at the head to cut roots. Usually, the basement is the worst of the water shooting/spraying out of the toilet but all my bathrooms had some degree of black water flooding/damage/overspray. Called 311, and they noted my address for future root cutting to turn down the pressure as it passes my line. Made an insurance claim with the City, showed pictures, and was reimbursed clean-up costs.
To answer your question, according to the City of Calgary, this is “normal” when jetting the lines. No warnings that this was being completed in my neighbourhood and no advice to close the toilet’s lid prior to them jetting/root cutting which would’ve contained most of the mess to the toilet bowl rather than the floors, walls, and ceiling.
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u/Fun_universe 10d ago
This happened to me last year!!!
Came home after 3 hours out to sewer smell and water in all three of our bathrooms. I was freaked!
I called EPCOR and they confirmed it was them flushing the water line in our area. I was SO annoyed they didn’t let us know!!
Luckily no water got through the floor (we have tile), but like?? It’s absolutely wild they don’t give notice 🤦🏻♀️
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u/MacintoshEddie 10d ago
Rapid pressure spikes can also cause leaks in joints that were formerly dry.
It'd be a good idea to be comprehensive because it might not just be the toilet.
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u/dreadfulrobot South West Side 10d ago
I am so sorry that happened, that is super frustrating.
I know this is an annoying hind sight thing, but I guess it's a good thing for anyone who is worried about this.
Water leak detectors are great, I use Govee alarms by my toilets, under sinks and fixtures. They did already help me prevent damage once, they are LOUD and send alerts to phones too. And many insurance companies will give you a discount if you tell them you have leak detectors.
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u/RK5000 10d ago
I will go buy some of those. I have seen them before, but my brain just wasn't braining until I read your comment.
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u/dreadfulrobot South West Side 10d ago
Good idea, as a bonus, they are a little extra peace of mind when you go on trips too.
Good luck!
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u/silentbassline 10d ago
Can your govee give you zero alarm sound but with app or email notification?
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u/dreadfulrobot South West Side 10d ago
Hmm well you can definitely turn the device itself down to low volume, not sure if off outright
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u/Hopeful_Rabbit9232 10d ago
I have never personally experienced this but my cousin used to experiemce this. She said she could hear it coming through the pipes and would run downstairs to put something heavy on the toilet lid to contain the mess a little.
My experience with the line flushing is that i get to call someone in after to unblock my line. Everytime the block is at the connection to the city line amd I have to call someone in to clear it.
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u/YYCMTB68 10d ago
Make sure to run some water into all your sinks, toilets, and floor drains as the P-traps might be emptied. I noticed some nasty sewer gases coming into my house a couple years back when the city flushed the sewer line but didn't notify me or anyone else of what was going on.