THUNDER BAY - A lawsuit against the City of Thunder Bay alleging pinhole leaks in copper water pipes resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage at a St. Joseph’s Care Group apartment building is moving forward.
A case conference was held Wednesday in a Thunder Bay Courtroom, where a judge ordered the matter to proceed and all parties to serve their respective affidavits of documents and productions by April 30, 2022.
The $350,000 lawsuit was filed last November, just two days after a $350 million class action lawsuit was filed against the city on behalf of potentially thousands of homeowners who have experienced pinhole leaks in copper water pipes.
Issues with pinhole leaks in the copper water pipes have been ongoing for several years, and are believed to be the result of sodium hydroxide added to the municipal water system, which has since been discontinued.
According to St. Joseph's Care Group's statement of claim, the first pinhole leak was discovered at the PR Cook apartment complex on Carrie Street in April 2018.
The statement of claim goes on to say that in 2019, 46 apartment units, the resident’s lounge, and the parking garage sustained damage from water leaks between April and December of that year.
Additionally, 53 units sustained damage between January 2020 and November 2020, the statement of claim alleges.
St. Joseph’s Care Group has estimated the costs of repairs to the facility at $125,000 but additional repairs will be required as well.
