Repulse Bay (Mar 10/03) - The answer to Repulse Bay's home heating fuel problem should be discovered this week.

Officials with the Repulse Bay Housing Association have replaced or repaired about 30 furnace fuel pumps in the past three months.

PPD manager Susan Makpah expects the problem Repulse Bay is experiencing with furnace oil pumps to be solved this week. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

At least one private home owner has also experienced problems with his pump.

Petroleum Products Division (PPD) manager Susan Makpah of Rankin Inlet said PPD took possession of two furnace fuel pumps from Repulse Bay on March 6.

"Upon arrival, a mechanic dismantled the two pumps and found nothing unusual with his inspection," said Makpah.

"Both pumps contained normal traces of diesel fuel, but there were no built-up deposits, scum or discolouration of any type evident."

The first pump was installed into a boiler at the adult group home in Rankin.

A pressure gauge was then installed to confirm the pump's output performance.

When the boiler system was started up, the pump immediately obtained its specified operating pressure of 150 pounds per square inch.

The pump continued to operated normally for the next 24 hours.

The second pump, however, seized up almost immediately when the boiler started.

The PPD is also awaiting test results from fuel samples it sent to the Alberta Research Council.

The results are expected back by the end of this week.

The furnace oil being used in Repulse is from the 2002 diesel re-supply.

Repulse gets its fuel re-supply differently than the other six Kivalliq hamlets, which receive their fuel by barge from Churchill.

Repulse receives its fuel by tanker.

Although the Repulse fuel would have come from a different distribution lot, all diesel fuel supplied to the region would have come from the same purchase lot.

None of the other six Kivalliq hamlets have encountered any problems.

"We sent a senior certified mechanic to Repulse this week to go to the units the hamlet maintainer is having problems with and see if he can find the problem.

"Between our mechanic in Repulse and the results from the Alberta Research Council, we should know what the problem is by the end of the week."