Frozen-pipe waiting list continues to get bigger

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This article was published 13/03/2014 (4236 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

There’s no sign the city’s answer to stop the spread of frozen waterlines is working.

Another 60 property owners found themselves without water Wednesday, while the city was only able to restore service to 17 properties.

The waiting list now stands at 1,045 properties, up from 996 the day before and more than 100 from the start of the week.

Mayor Sam Katz said he expects eventually to see a slowing in the increase of properties impacted by frozen lines — as long as property owners in at-risk areas follow the advice of officials and let a cold-water tap run 24 hours a day.

City officials have notified almost 5,500 property owners they believe they could be next to lose water because of frozen waterlines.

However, officials hope running a pencil-width stream of water from a single tap will be enough to keep the water flowing.

“By telling residents to start turning on their water to prevent it, we eliminate them from getting frozen lines,” Katz said. “We’re certainly making headway.”

City officials continue to refuse to identify the at-risk areas or the location of the properties that have suffered frozen waterlines.

Katz said city officials continue to scour the continent looking for appropriate thawing machines, but without success.

“Anybody who is having these problems needs the equipment, and (communities) who have climates that are much warmer don’t have the equipment.”

Meanwhile, another councillor is calling for the city to waive the $305 thawing bill sent to all property owners when the city has found the frozen line was on private property.

Coun. Paula Havixbeck said the recent change in city policy, in which the city will pay the cost of the thawing service regardless of where the problem lies, should be retroactive to when the emergency began, echoing a similar position taken by Coun. Jeff Browaty.

The current retroactive date is Feb. 28.

“What’s the difference whether you had a pipe that needed thawing a month ago, last week or yesterday?” Havixbeck said. “This should be retroactive for citizens.”

The city is warning people not to connect water hoses to neighbours’ houses by themselves so hygiene and safety are maximized and the city can properly credit the neighbour’s water bill once normal water service has been restored. The city will provide the connection service.

Updated information is available from the city’s website.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca