The deep frost level this winter is believed to be the cause of several water main leaks in the District of 100 Mile House.
"We've had a bad year, we've had several breaks due to the frost this year was exceptionally deep," says District director of operations Phil Strain. "When that frost was coming out it gave us several problems around town."
On Alder Avenue in front of Smitty's, a break in the water main had crews out working later last week.
Strain notes it was well underway until crews determined the natural gas pipelines ran right over the work area, and work was shut down by Pembina and Spectra Energy.
Had the frost level not been so deep this winter, the spring break-up would not have caused damage far enough down to reach the gas lines, he explains.
"When we had to repair the [100 Mile Elementary School recently], the frost was five-and-a-half-feet deep this year under the road where the traffic is pounding it down. That's getting really close to our mains.
"As the frost comes out, the ground moves a bit – it's just one of those things."
Noting it is not an infrastructure problem, Strain says the digging reveals these aging water pipes are still sound.
However, when the District had to dig up the corporation stops to shut the water mains down, fluctuations in water pressure are believed to have caused a leak that occurred in another pipe directly under the Subway/Smitty’s strip building, he adds.
"Their service line broke under their slab, and when we were turning the valves on-and-off it must have got a shock and just cracked the AC [asbestos-cement] line under there. That's the theory, anyway."
Strain explains that by Monday (May 5), everyone had water flowing in their taps except the Blue Sky Restaurant, which was able to stay open with hoses jumped over from Super Save Gas.
This kept their patron's plates filled with hot Chinese food while District crews installed two isolation valves, he notes.
"As soon as we get our permit to dig again from Spectra and Pembina, we'll be locating all three of their pipelines with the hydro-vac truck again. And, once we have got the three pipelines exposed, they'll give us permission and we're going to put a new water line between the two isolation valves."
Strain adds those valves will be installed near Blue Sky and in front of Subway.
Except for the earlier leak by the school, these water main breaks follow in the wake of recent problems over on First Street, where a leak is the suspected cause of a sudden sinkhole near Dogwood Avenue that slightly damaged a street sweeper; and a leak a block away at Cedar Avenue had crews digging their own hole for repairs.
"Hopefully the frost is out, and it will be the end of our problems for this season."