Kugluktuk water line freezes

IQALUIT — The Hamlet of Kugluktuk has been forced to drill a water hole at the mouth of the Coppermine River because a water line that linked the municipality’s water plant with a location further up the river has frozen up.

Local Nunavut public works officials would not comment on why the pipeline, which has been serving the community for the past 31 years, has frozen, but directed inquiries to regional superintendent Brent Boddy, who could not be reached for comment before press time.

“The line seems like it’s frozen the whole 450 metres length,” said Kevin Niptanatiak, the hamlet’s finance and administration officer. Niptanatiak said the problem may not get fixed until February, and that Territorial Department of Public Works officials had not told the hamlet why the line froze.

Niptanatiak said the hamlet is looking atconstructing a temporary shelter to cover the newly-drilled hole and a water pump. He said the water is perfectly safe to drink, but does have some sand in it.