KAWARTHA LAKES-Hydro One is advising residents of a large, planned, power outage coming up this Sunday September 27,2020.
From 7 am to 3 pm this Sunday, Hydro One crews will be completing electrical upgrades and scheduled maintenance in areas that include: Galway, Minden, Somerville, Minden Hills, Snowdon, Glamorgan and Cavendish. Approximately 6,000 residential and business customers will be without power during this time.
The Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit encourages people to consider safety measures when it comes to food stored in fridges and freezers, as well as their well water and septic systems. “It’s important to be prepared during any power outage, be it planned or unexpected,” says Richard Ovcharovich, Manager of Health Protection with the HKPR District Health Unit. “The benefit of this outage is that people have lots of advance notice to plan ahead and be safe.”
The health unit is encouraging local residents and businesses to follow these safety tips during the power outage:
Food Safety
- Businesses that do not have adequate back-up generators to operate their refrigeration, ventilation, water treatment equipment, water and sewage system pumps and other essential equipment must remain closed until power is restored.
- For residents in homes and cottages:
- Keep fridge/freezer doors closed to maintain the temperature inside. Without power, the refrigerator section will keep foods cool for four to six hours if the door is kept closed. Without power, an upright or chest freezer that is completely full will keep food frozen for about two days. A half-full freezer will keep food frozen for one day.
- If possible, add bags of ice to the fridge/freezer to keep temperatures cooler should power be out for a longer period.
- Play it safe and throw out any food that you think may have spoiled. Eating unsafe foods may cause foodborne illness.
Private Well Water
- Before the power outage, fill up containers with water so that you have a supply of water available. Any containers used for drinking water should be properly cleaned/disinfected first before filling. Stocking up on bottled water is also an option.
- Most residences that use well water rely on an electrical pump to move the water into the home. During a power outage, the pump will be off and there will be no water available. Remember that some homes have treatment systems for their well water that use electricity (e.g. Ultraviolet light). When power is restored to the pump, ensure that the treatment system is working.
- Once power is back on, run the water for approximately five minutes before using to flush out the water line to ensure it’s safe.
Private Septic Systems
- Some on-site septic systems use pumps that run on electricity. Pumps move waste through the system and into the leaching bed or treatment unit. If you’re still using water in your home, remember that septic and pump tanks will continue to fill with waste-water. If the tanks get too full, the effluent could back up into the home. Limit water use until power is restored.
Staying Warm
- Check on older relatives or neighbour to ensure they are OK while the power is off
- If you rely on electric heating, turn up the thermostat prior to the power outage to ensure your home is relatively warm.
- Do not use camp stoves, lanterns or barbecues. These devices pose a safety risk from carbon monoxide poisoning.
