WATCH: Crews were back at work in Saanich Tuesday after a significant water main break the day before. The incident damaged catchbasins, sidewalks, and pavement. Alhough permanent repairs are still a couple weeks from being completed, many neighbours consider themselves lucky they weren’t flooded. Calvin To has more.
Crews were on scene Tuesday making repairs at Royal Oak Drive and Rithetwood Drive in Saanich where a water main burst on Thanksgiving Monday.
Area resident Hanny Hilmy recalls losing water pressure Monday after the water main broke at 8 a.m.
“We went to go around our daily chores, having a shower and all that, not a drop of water and then we saw police and the sirens,” Hilmy said.
According to the District of Saanich, 10,000 gallons of water escaped during the incident.
It was significant enough to damage sidewalks, pavement and catchbasins, as well as causing water damage to two homes.
“It’s never good timing to have a water main break and having it on Thanksgiving Day is no different,” said Harley Machielse, the District of Saanich’s director of engineering. “We had to call in a whole crew of staff who weren’t on standby, had to leave their families for the day and their potential Thanksgiving dinners, and they did a great job.”
Thirty homes lost water temporarily.
Crews arrived at 8:20 a.m. and the water flow was stopped 10 minutes later. Repairs continued until 9 p.m.
Permanent repairs are still needed and will be scheduled within the next two to three weeks.
A portion of Royal Oak Drive will be partially closed during those repairs.
The final cost is not known, but the district estimates it to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.
Calvin To
