Total of 125 frozen waterlines in Kincardine

Kincardine council is urging residents to be patient as the problem with frozen waterlines continues.

In an update at the council meeting Wednesday night (March 11), chief administrative officer and public works manager Murray Clarke said that as of that morning, there were 125 frozen water services in the municipality. And of those, 39 were still waiting to be thawed.

"We have a serious situation along Durham Market South where we have a frozen watermain," he said. "Businesses along there, including the laundromat, are affected. We have been working two full days trying to fix it, with further excavation to be done Thursday."

Clarke said the work is tough, with crews digging about 120 feet along the length of the watermain and still unable to fix the problem.

"Last year, we expected that the number of frozen water services was an anomaly," said Clarke. "Up until then, we'd had nothing since 1994. But the trend toward colder winters, means we are looking at significant capital expenditures this year. We know the vulnerable areas in the municipality, but it's interesting how random it is."

He said every effort is going toward getting the water systems up and running.
"I want to thank the crews for their extraordinary efforts in this extreme weather, under the leadership of Shamus Anderson (overall responsible operator for water and wastewater)," said Clarke. "This is exhausting work."

Councillor Laura Haight said she spoke to Anderson about two or three weeks ago and learned what happens to cause this extensive number of frozen water services.

"I travelled to London and back recently and going through every small town, I'd see the digger out in the street and I knew what was happening," she said. "From Kincardine to London and all over London, it's like a mini disaster - a gentle disaster. We're working through a plan; yes, we could do better, but we're learning form it. The patience of the public is greatly appreciated."

Mayor Anne Eadie agreed, urging residents to continue being patient and to keep their taps running until notified otherwise, to prevent more frozen waterlines.