RECORD-BREAKING?
City crews work to repair a water main on Nagel Crescent. There have already been so many water main breaks in Regina in September, they may surpass the record.
With 40 water main breaks reported already this month, and an average of seven to 10 new ones daily, the City of Regina is on its way to record-breaking numbers for September.
The city has main break records going back to 1979. The highest number of breaks ever seen during the month of September is 115, and that was back in 2012. Pat Wilson, director of Water Works, says at this rate she wouldn’t be surprised if they surpass that number this year.
The good news?
Crews are fixing breaks at a faster rate this year and as fall temperatures creep in, Wilson says the frequency of breaks will begin to taper off and a significant drop is expected come October. Until then crews are continuing to work overtime and weekends to try to keep up with demand.
“Unfortunately, we’ve had some blocks where we’ve had multiple breaks,” said Wilson. “Once we disturb the ground, and then we have to compact the soil, that can also have an impact on the line. So we can see a secondary break that’s partly caused by the work of fixing the first break.”
But she said with the weather still mild and the days still relatively long, most crews are able to fix two breaks a day.
With many of the breaks happening close to each other, it is quicker for crews to be redeployed to the next job.
She said this year’s speediness may also be attributed to the amount of experience crews are getting this summer.
As winter approaches, the city is preparing for breaks that may occur due to freezing temperatures. According to Wilson, frost travels faster into the ground when soil is dry and if we see a very cold winter without much snow cover on top of the dry soil, there is a chance for more breaks.
“But we’ve ... had that experience before and we’ve done some protective work on lines that are vulnerable to freezing in the winter, so we’re more able to address those,” said Wilson.
She said while there have been some complaints, on the whole residents have been patient and understanding of the situation.
“We’ve had some really nice compliments from residents, and certainly we’ve also had some residents who have been frustrated. I know that, especially for our commuters ... having barricades up and having to go around (them) is very frustrating,” said Wilson. “We understand that and we really appreciate their patience.”
Wilson reminds residents to report breaks as well as changing conditions on current breaks in order for the city to continue working effectively. She also urges people to be respectful of work zones and allow crews to focus on their work.
For questions, concerns or to report a break, call the city at 306777-7000.
Once we disturb the ground ... that can also have an impact on the line. So we can see a secondary break that’s partly caused by the work of fixing the first break.