Water flows into street while taps dry since October at Winnipeg rooming house
'I'm just going to move out from here anyways. This is like a garbage dump to me,' resident says
People living in a Winnipeg rooming house have been without water for a month, while a steady stream has flowed from the ground into the front street that entire time.
Residents at the multi-unit building on Langside Street, just off of Ellice Avenue in the city's Spence neighbourhood, say their taps don't work and toilets don't flush.
Ronald Duck has rented a room at the top of the house since May. He said the water in the building stopped running in October — at the same time the leak outside began.
"I'm just going to move out from here anyways. This is like a garbage dump to me," he said about the house.
The taps don't work, the toilets don't flush and he's had to travel to his sister's house to shower.
"[It's] hell," he said.
The rooming house, which has about 10 suites, has a shared kitchen and at least two bathrooms.
Duck said he pays $550 per month in rent and he saw his landlord for the first time on Monday.
"I told him. He was here yesterday. 'I'll fix everything,' [he said]. Never showed up here again."
City turned water off to prevent damage
The landlord told CBC News on Wednesday he has hired someone to drill down and fix a broken line. He said he'd thought it was the city's responsibility.
He denied that residents have been without water for a month.
A city spokesperson said the city learned of the leak on Sept. 29. Staff investigated and determined it was on the property owner's portion, the spokesperson said.
"Water and Waste staff attempted to work with the property owner to rectify the situation," the spokesperson wrote in an email.
"However, the leak on the private property was not fixed and water was turned off on Nov. 2 to prevent damage to surrounding properties."
It's the city's understanding a contractor will be on-site on Thursday to make the repair, the spokesperson said.
"Once the property owner advises us that the repair is complete, Water and Waste staff will inspect the work and turn the water back on."
Basic needs
"People need running water. if they don't have it, then that's obviously a violation of our regulations, and they need to have those basic needs met," said Ben Simcoe, housing co-ordinator with the Spence Neighbourhood Association.
The organization advocates for housing and investigates complaints. They work with landlords and the Residential Tenancies Branch to ensure safe living conditions.
Simcoe said his organization will contact the city to have health inspectors investigate.
"People end up accepting conditions that are far worse than they deserve, and they should not. There is no reason for them to accept poorer conditions, worse than anyone deserves."
Another resident of the rooming house said he spoke with the building's landlord, who promised to address the problem. Several neighbours said they've been calling 311 about the problem for at least a month.
