Temps reach record highs, number of frozen pipes double in Winnipeg
The city says frozen pipes affected 78 properties the week of March 6, but as of March 13, that number is 141
The number of frozen pipes in Winnipeg is climbing as the city's weather falls from highs of around 13 C — last Saturday's temperature — to lows of –21 C, which is forecast for the same day next week.
According to the City of Winnipeg's website, frozen pipes affected 78 properties the week of March 6, but as of March 13, that number is 141.
Those numbers suggest the city has slightly more frozen underground pipes this year than on average.
Gord Pizey learned about life without functional pipes four years ago when he had no running water for a week.
"Trust me, frozen pipes are a major league inconvenience," he said.
Since then, Pizey runs his taps — and at his own expense — as soon as he suspects his Wildwood Park home risks pipes freezing up in the winter.
"Instead of waiting for a letter, as soon as I saw a few neighbours with frozen pipes, and the trucks were in the neighbourhood, I thought the heck with it... I'm gonna start running [them] anyway," he said.
According to the city, there are no properties in particular that are at an increased risk of frozen pipes this year, and it's because the problem is scattered across several neighbourhoods in Winnipeg.
Despite the wide-spread nature of the issue, a spokesperson for the city says the only properties that need to run water are those that have had an underground pipe thawed this winter.
That was not the case for Robert Stewart, but his pipes still froze.
Stewart tried to get a glass of water at 1:30 a.m. and he noticed no water came out of the taps. When his pipes froze in 2014, he says it took more than one month for them to thaw.
"Since last year's experience, that was like an 'uh oh, okay. Here we go again,'" he said.
When Stewart reported his frozen pipes this year, he says crews were at his house within 24 hours.
What causes pipes to freeze? According to city officials, a number of conditions. They include frost depth and weather patterns, but pipes that have frozen in past years are not guaranteed to freeze every year.
And when it does happen, the city says crews are ready to address complaints within the day.
"We are able to provide same-day response to customer reports of 'no water,'" a spokesman for the city said.
"[We] can provide thawing service or a temporary hose line within 24 hours of our initial response."