Boil-water advisory in Villeray after water-main break

The corner of Pie-IX Blvd. and Villeray St. is usually busy with car traffic on weekdays.

But it looked more like a Venetian canal on Friday morning after a water-main break flooded the east-end Montreal neighbourhood.

More than a 100 residential buildings in the area were flooded when a huge 48-inch water main burst at 4:50 a.m.

It took firefighters and city workers more than five hours to finally plug the broken main.

Firefighters also asked HydroQuébec to cut electricity to the area.

No injuries were reported, but the city issued a boil-water advisory for parts of the Villeray-Saint-Michel-Parc-Extension borough. Areas affected are: 1. St-Léonard: Grandes-Prairies Blvd. to the north, Highway 40 to the south, Pascal- Gagnon St. to the east, Provencher Blvd. to the west.

2. Villeray: Crémazie Blvd. to the north, Rosemont Blvd. to the south, Pie-IX Blvd. to the east and Saint-Michel Blvd. to the west.

The advisory also extends into the Rosemont-La-Petite-Patrie borough.

“Until further notice, residents must boil their water for at least one minute before drinking it. Drinking water that has not been boiled can be used for personal hygiene or domestic use,” the City of Montreal said in a statement.

“In the best case scenario, the advisory could be lifted early Saturday evening. However, a backto-normal advisory will be issued as soon as the situation returns to normal.”

Tap water must be boiled for at least one minute before drinking it.

Boiled water or bottled water must be used for the following purposes: Drinking or preparing beverages; preparing baby bottles and food; cleaning and preparing raw food (fruit, vegetables, etc.); preparing food that does not require long cooking time; making ice cubes; brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth

The city said tap water that has not been boiled can be used for the following purposes: Washing dishes with hot water; washing clothes, showering or bathing (make sure children do not swallow water while bathing, or wash them with a face cloth).

The corner of Pie-IX Blvd. and Villeray will remain closed for the weekend. Traffic detours will be in effect.

City of Montreal spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said the main that burst had been last inspected in 2012. It was not particularly old either, having been in operation since 1961.

Sabourin said most water mains last nearly twice that long.

For more information, please call 311 or visit ville.montreal.qc.ca/eaudemontreal.