Water main break sends debris through Vancouver neighbourhood
Posted May 17, 2019 9:26 am.
Last Updated May 17, 2019 4:48 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A Vancouver neighbourhood will remain closed for a number of hours on Friday after a water main broke early in the morning.
City crews were called after fast-running water sent debris flowing through the area around Adanac Street and Lakewood Drive.
According to the city, the repair could take anywhere between 8 and 12 hours.
“We would really appreciate it if the public could avoid that block and find alternate routes today,” read an email from city staff.
People living in the area told NEWS 1130 they had complained about leaking water almost two weeks ago but didn’t hear back.
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Daniel Roberge, Director of Engineering for water and sewers with the City of Vancouver says they were aware of the issue and planning to make the repairs when the water main broke.
“This leak had been reported to us on May 6, and it was, at the time, a smaller leak. We usually have 20 to 30 smaller leaks going on like this at any given time. We need to prepare ourselves before we can actually excavate,” he says. “We usually need about two weeks to prepare the package. We were going to go next week to do the final repairs in this location, but something happened this morning that caused the pipe to rupture and it became emergency work.”
Water has been turned off as crews begin cleanup in the area.
-With files from Lasia Kretzel
