After on-again off-again shutdowns, Iqaluit neighbourhood has water again

After a week of water shutdowns, the Plateau neighbourhood in Iqaluit is receiving water again.

The primary reason for the shutdowns was a water main break, City of Iqaluit spokesperson Kent Driscoll said Monday.

Problems in the Plateau neighbourhood began last Wednesday afternoon when the city issued a notice for a water shutdown in the neighbourhood.

By that evening, water was restored but the city said another shutdown would be necessary in the neighbourhood on Thursday. Due to a blizzard that day, that repair was pushed to Friday.

On Friday, there were shutdowns in the afternoon and evening. In a news release, the city said the purpose was to re-pressurize pipes and that water service would resume overnight.

“We only ever shut off the water as a last resort,” Driscoll said.

“This case, it was a last resort.”

Water service was restored again Friday night, he said.

However, there was still work to be done on Saturday and another shutdown occurred in the Plateau area.

Driscoll said the process of water shutdowns in Plateau from the beginning of the week until Saturday was planned, Driscoll said.

However, there was another water break that required immediate attention on Sunday, he said, forcing another shutdown. Service resumed Sunday evening, with residents advised to boil their water before consuming or using it.

There is no immediate plan to shut down water again in Plateau, Driscoll said Monday. However, he added, city workers are currently digging to fix a broken pipe that is “way down there.”

That pipe might take two weeks to reach and at that point there could be another water service interruption, Driscoll said.

During the shutdown, residents in the area showed their appreciation for the public works crew that was outside trying to fix the water problems, Driscoll said, including one resident who brought the workers several pizzas.

“They go and go and go,” Driscoll said of the public works staff working to solve the water problems.

Frozen pipes have also been a challenge throughout the city as buildings including the Arctic Winter Games Arena have had to temporarily close because of the problem.

Driscoll said there are a couple of places in the city where service lines are causing trouble and city staff is working with landlords and contractors to get that resolved.

Currently, water mains — which are the city’s responsibility — are clear, Driscoll said. If the service line for a specific building is not working, that’s the responsibility of the landlord or contractor.

“So if you’re having trouble and it’s just your place, it’s time to call the landlord or a contractor,” Driscoll said.

He said he can’t be certain that the city will experience fewer water problems as the weather warms up. But with better working conditions, repairs won’t be the same challenge they currently are.