Source of 'major leak' a mystery
Row of burst pipes causing dangerous patch of thin ice
on Frame Lake for second year in a row
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Wednesday, April 9, 2014
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The city can't seem to get to the bottom of a burst water main that continues to create havoc and a dangerous patch of overflow on Frame Lake that has persisted for two years.
A cordoned off area marked by orange pylons extends far out into the lake by the Co-op underpass where thin ice has been reported.
In that time two people have fallen through the ice, one of whom was able to pull himself out, while another was rescued by two friends before being taken to hospital as a precaution.
The same overflow problem occurred last March, at which point Chris Greencorn, director of public works, told Yellowknifer that a pipe that broke five times over the course of the winter was to blame for the leak.
Greencorn said the city repaired the aging service line, which was traced to a single residence in the area of Wilkinson Crescent and Borden Drive north of the Co-op store on old Airport Road last spring.
This year, the city fixed another burst pipe on Jeske Crescent that was leaking into the area but neither repairs have stopped the overflow, which Greencorn attributed to a "major leak."
"We haven't been able to pinpoint it," said Greencorn.
Because Frame Lake is naturally the lowest point in the area, any burst pipes within a large radius will drain into it.
"It's quite a large area that we have to do the leak detection in," he said.
Adding to difficulties is the fact that the city is still working to repair broken pipes which were caused by the Dec. 29 power outage that left the city in the dark for three hours in -38 C temperatures.
Greencorn said approximately 10 to 15 homes are still depending on makeshift measures to get their water, which is where most of his department's focus been in recent months.
"It's about priorities. Those residents with problems with sewer or water freeze-ups are kind of taking the forefront," he said.
"We're concerned with water wastage but there are bleeders all over town that are bleeding just as much water," he added.
Once the city is caught up with residential repairs, Greencorn said it will focus all its energies on finding the source of the leak.
In the meantime, the city is digging out the frozen overflow so that water does not back up and flood the Co-op parking lot.
Greencorn did not yet know how much the leak had cost the city in terms of lost water but said it had spent about $15,000 in man hours to maintain the area.
With temperatures starting to warm up Fire Chief Darcy Hernblad warned residents to exercise extra caution when travelling on or near any frozen body of water.
