The Comox Valley Regional District has issued a “do not flush” order to residents in Courtenay, K’ómoks First Nation and Comox because of an emergency failure at a wastewater pump station currently undergoing upgrades.

The district is asking residents to temporarily stop flushing toilets, taking showers or washing dishes in order to reduce the amount of waste flowing into the ocean.

District general manager of engineering services Kris La Rose told CBC News the failure happened along a temporary pump station pipe, located near the Comox Valley Marina, at around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.

“As a result, the excavation next to the construction project rapidly filled up with wastewater, and since then has been overflowing down the foreshore into the marine environment,” he said.

“It’s definitely a big deal.”

Comox and Courtenay have a combined population of about 43,000 people.

The regional district says all district sports and aquatics centres will be closed until further notice. People are also asked to avoid any water-related activities near the shoreline and around Goose Spit Park and Comox Valley Marina.

La Rose said crews are focusing on pumping water out of the excavation so they can access the pipes and better assess the situation.

“I am very optimistic so that we will have this resolved this afternoon,” he said.

The district is scheduled to issue an update at 2 p.m.