Parkdale residents told to keep water running to prevent pipes freezing due to project delays
About 12 residents along the water line have experienced frozen pipes
Residents in Parkdale are being told to continuously run their water as long as temperatures are below 0 C after delays to the water-pipe improvement project mean temporary pipes are still above ground.
Dipping temperatures had some customers experiencing frozen pipes earlier this week because the temporary water line runs above ground and is prone to freezing as a result.
Donnie Gallant, a Parkdale resident since 1970, had frozen pipes on Sunday and Monday.
"What are we going to do when it's really cold? What's going to happen next week and the week after," he said.
"Once it drops to zero, you don't realize you have to keep your tap on. If the water isn't running in your house it'll freeze instantly and you'll have no water," said Parkdale resident, Phillip Crawford.
The city says residents may have to run their water until Christmas though the city will cover that cost.
The city also says it doesn't know how much water is being wasted in the process.
Project expected to be finished in December
The water-pipe improvement project is on track to be completed by Christmas after an initial mid- to late-fall finish date, said Richard MacEwen, manager of the Charlottetown water and sewer utility.
Workers are relining existing water pipes, using a no-dig technology the city hopes will extend the life of the lines by 50 years. The $4.5 million sewer project aims to reduce water-main breaks in the Parkdale area.
MacEwen said the lining phase of the project is expected to be finished Friday.
Residents are encouraged to contact the contractor Fer-Pal Infrastructure about water pipe issues. If necessary, the contractor will come and thaw their pipes.
Snow could also bring some temporary challenges to customers along the water line.
"Depending on how much of it there is and whether or not we have snow removal contractors going out. But the contractor is meeting with snow removers to advise them of the lines in the area," MacEwen said.
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With files from Isabella Zavarise