Storage of oil, paint, solvents and other environmentally harmful products should not be stored outside especially in open containers. Residents are responsible for any spills over which they have control and as per the City Bylaw, we may impose a fine. The resident will be responsible to clean up the spill to our standards or if we determine the resident does not have the adequate resources to do it themselves, we will clean it up and charge the costs back to the resident. It is best to prevent spills from happening.

The City of Red Deer cannot accept used motor oil at the Waste Management Facility. 

• Visit https://www.albertarecycling.ca/  for more information on oil recycling in your area.

Residents are responsible for any spills over which they have control and as per the City Bylaw, we may impose a fine. The resident will be responsible to clean up the spill to our standards or if we determine the resident does not have the adequate resources to do it themselves, we will clean it up and charge the costs back to the resident. If you have an area of concern, please contact Utility Services at 403-342-8750.

When vehicle accidents happen, many times there are fluids that pour or leak from the vehicles. These spills are hazardous to the environment and we must keep these products from entering the storm system and ultimately to our waterways. We clean up, or may assist in the clean-up with EMS, of the spilled materials and charge the costs of cleanup to the party or parties responsible for the accident. This invoice will show up after billing information is gathered on responsible parties which may take a few months after the accident.

No. This is not normal and is against the City’s Bylaw and depending on the circumstances, can come with a hefty fine. Nothing but storm water is permitted in the catch basins. These catch basins are direct connections to The Red Deer River and receive no treatment. Anything other than storm water entering them can cause blockages during storm events or pollute the river or creeks.

Your basement will usually have a floor drain located by the hot water tank. This drain is attached to your sanitary service which ties into the City’s sanitary main. Attached to this drain is a safety feature called a ‘p-trap’ or ‘goose neck’. You can see a similar feature under your kitchen sink. If the water in this line dries out as it can from little to no use, sewer gas can enter your home. It smells like sewage or rotten eggs and is usually just a nuisance. Just pour a few cups of water down the drain to resolve the issue. You can’t overfill it as any excess water just enters your sanitary service. You may need to do this every few months. If that doesn’t stop the odours from occurring, you may need to contact a plumber.

This can happen for generally one of two reasons.

1. If it is during spring melt, this is the time of year notorious for odours in the drinking water. The water is still safe to drink so just run the water for a short while and the smell should clear up. Although there is a smell it is usually is not offensive.
2. It could be due to your plumbing. It’s called ‘galvanic corrosion’ and occurs when two dissimilar metals are used in your plumbing (for example, copper and cast iron). This usually occurs more in older homes. Corrosion does take place but usually at a very slow rate and sometimes with an odour present. Just run your water for a short while and the smell should disappear.

This could be hydrogen sulfide gas (H2S) and is usually just a nuisance smell but can be dangerous in higher concentrations. Remove yourself from the area, note your location and immediately contact Environmental Services at 403-342-8750 and provide the location.

This could also be natural gas (NG) and can present an extreme danger the longer it leaks. Contact ATCO Gas immediately.