WATCH: Royal Oak Drive was closed the majority of Monday after water-main break flooded the Broadmead area. Isabelle Raghem reports.
Residents in Broadmead woke up to Royal Oak Drive submerged under 45,000 litres of water Thanksgiving Monday. Saanich Public Works says a water-main break near Rithetwood Dr. and Royal Oak Drive caused the flood.
“My wife came to me saying there was no water in the house when she went to go have a shower and I wasn’t sure why so I looked outside and noticed there was a lake in my backyard,” said Broadmead resident Mackenzie Seaton.
The Seaton home untouched by the flood. Muriel Turner was not so lucky.
“Somebody phoned and they asked me if I had any water and I said no because I answer the phone in [the living room] and then I looked around and I thought holy mackerel,” Turner said.
Water seeped into Turner’s kitchen but she says with a spill easy enough to mop up, she’s thankfully it wasn’t worse.
“I don’t think the electricity is hurt [and] it didn’t get on the rugs or anywhere.”
Saanich police say they received their first report of the incident around 8 a.m. from one of their own.
“One of our patrol NCOs drove right into the water. We were at a call nearby and immediately got on the air that clearly something was amiss because the road was completely flooded, ” said Staff Sgt. Chris Horsley Monday.
The water pressure pushed up parts of the sidewalk, destroying it.
The flood causing delays for commuters as the Royal Oak Drive was shut down for several hours.
A drain main was installed this summer in close proximity to the water main. The District of Saanich says they are unsure if Monday’s break is related to that work.
“It’s too early for us to tell,” explains Saanich’s Engineering Director Harvey Machielse, “It’s going to take the majority of the day to make the repair. We’re gonna have to do some excavation here, get to the water main, assess the damage and what may have caused the break.”
All residents are expected to have water back by Monday evening.
It’s unclear when the westbound lane of Royal Oak Drive will be reopened.
Isabelle Raghem
