Fixing a hole

A 32-year-old rusted pipe joint has city officials temporarily banning outdoor watering of any kind.

The joint, part of the main trunk line that delivers drinking water to homes throughout the city, has likely been leaking for several months, said Gary Wood, construction supervisor of Thunder Bay’s waterfront development project.

Workers at Marina Park discovered the leak a couple of days ago and traced it back to its source, where they found water gushing from a crack in the 900-millimetre… pressure pipe.
Temporary repair work is expected to take about 24 hours, city officials said.

Though located dead centre in a construction zone, Wood said the damage was age related and had nothing to do with digging damage.

“The original pipe was installed by the city back in 1979 and is a main service line for the city. Over the years it’s experienced some corrosion on the joint. That has developed into pinholes and now they’re starting to turn into little cracks on the joint,” Wood said. 

“That’s what’s developed in behind us now. It was unrelated to the construction it was just the nature of the pipe being exposed and that many years in service. It happens.”

As a result of the break, residents are also being asked to limit all non-essential water use until repairs are made.

Kerri Marshall, manager of the city’s environment division, said the city is working hard to isolate the leak.

That’s where the trouble kicks in, she said.

“When we isolate that line, it will limit our ability to deliver water throughout the system. So we’re asking all of our customers to reduce all non-essential water use during this time,” Marshall said, adding anyone noticing a drop in water pressure, a change in the clarity or colour of their water, or an unusual taste to contact the water trouble line at 684-2195, until midnight tonight. After hours  or over the weekend, Marshall said the number to call in 684-3117.

Marshall said the affected line is a priority one, hence the rush to make the repairs.

“We’re focusing getting it as quickly back into service as possible,” she said.

A more permanent repair may have to be done at a later date, Marshall added.

Construction at Prince Arthur’s Landing has been interrupted slightly, as the break occurred under the roadway, Wood said.

“It’s a little bit of a bump in the road, to say the least,” he said, “being in the middle of our road for access. So it’s making getting around the site a little difficult. The full impact to the project haven’t been realized yet (and won’t be) until we actually complete the repairs and determine the scope and duration of that.

“Then we’ll assess it against the contracts.”

The city, under the federal infrastructure spending program, has until Oct. 31 to get the majority of the work done on the $130-million-plus project in order to qualify for the federal portion of the funding.