There are currently 3 active water main breaks on Crestview, 7th Ave East, and 1st Ave East
PRINCE RUPERT, DECEMBER 19th, 2022 Please note that the Local State of Emergency remains in effect, with additional breaks occurring since the Local State of Emergency was called on Saturday. The Local State of Emergency is in place as a precautionary measure in order to appropriately resource and respond to water infrastructure. There are currently 3 active water main breaks on Crestview, 7th Ave East, and 1st Ave East, with one at risk of re-breaking, due to likelihood of additional fracturing in the pipe. There are additionally 6 active water service breaks, with four of those occurring on the City-side. We apologize to those residents and businesses experiencing service impacts in those areas, and are working as quickly as possible to restore service.
Due to the demands on local capacity, the City has called on two local contractors to assist with these main breaks, with City crews triaging on a 24 hour/day basis to focus on the remaining water breaks as well as salting/sanding. Given local conditions, we ask that if you call our Customer Service or After Hours numbers, that you do so ONLY for emergency repairs or service. If you experience a water break City infrastructure in your neighbourhood, evidenced by significantly reduced water pressure and no indication of a break in your home, please call (250) 624 6795 during regular office hours, and (250) 624 3000 after hours (evenings and weekends). If you experience a water break that is known to be in your home, please shut off your water via the shut off valve in your home and call a plumber directly.
As we stated in our original release, although the City is taking these steps to avoid disruptions in service, it is always recommended that community members have 4L of water per person in your household for a 72 hour period, on hand as a part of emergency kits. This water does not need to be store-bought, but can be filled from your taps, as there is no quality advisory currently in place.
The City is also requesting that community members run their taps at a slow drip to prevent freezing of the taps in your homes, as City resources will be stretched in responding to water shut off requests during this time.
The City’s Emergency Operations Centre is currently active and coordinating local response, and will be revisiting the Local State of Emergency at the end of the week to determine if it will be extended over the holiday.
For additional information, see the original release on the Local State of Emergency.