Residents near the former Macpherson Elementary School got a rude awakening on Wednesday after a burst water main sent water cascading down city streets.
A 16-inch pipe, built in the 1930s, split along the top on Wednesday morning. The pipe is used primarily for water transport rather than for delivery to nearby homes and businesses, which meant more water was let loose upon the surrounding neighbourhood.
It took a while for city crews to locate the break, which was later found near the ballfield of the former elementary school, which is expected to be purchased by Pennecon Ltd.
Ray Miller, president of a nearby condominium association, says he was made aware of the break at 5 a.m.
“When I got there the front lobby was flooded and water was seeping into the parking garage,” Miller said.e don’t know the damage right Miller said the water coming into the building was from above the condominiums from the Holy Heart side of the building. A steady river of water flowed through a trench formed by the water, and he said some landscaping will need to be done to fix the damage.
Luckily, none of the condos appear to have suffered flood damage.
Water pooled on the field directly behind the Sobeys/NLC place and Holy Heart of Mary High School. What didn’t pool ended up confronting drivers headed up Bonaventure Avenue, hear Brother Rice Junior High School.
Lynnann Windsor, deputy city manager, says the city doesn’t yet have an estimate of the amount of damage caused by the flooding. Aside from overtime for workers on the scene, Windsor says she expects the cost to the city to be minimal.
She says while old pipes do tend to break more often, the weather seems to have more an effect than age.
“Typically, we have water main breaks throughout the year. They seem to be a bit more prevalent around the late fall and early spring when temperatures are changing,” she said.
“They can happen anywhere in the city, regardless of condition.”
Crews recently finished work on water main pipes in the Rabbittown area, using the same reinforcing technique being used for the Water Street repair work that started on Monday. Windsor says it’s unlikely the Rabbittown work had anything to do with the break on Wednesday.
“We do keep a record of our water mains, our water main breaks, any issue we’re having with them. We keep an eye on the assessment and we have a capital works list where we replace water mains on a regular basis,” she said.
City workers remained on the scene throughout the day. Water service returned to normal at 8 p.m.
With files from Sam McNeish and Joe Gibbons
Twitter: DavidMaherNL
