Group plans to protest city's silence over pipe leaks in Thunder Bay

A group of people who have dealt with pinhole pipe leaks are set to gather outside Thunder Bay city hall Wednesday afternoon.

Patsy Stadnyk said she has grown frustrated with the city not providing any information about why so many properties have had issues with their copper piping.

"We haven't been able to get any answers from the city," she said. "It's a very sad day in Thunder Bay when we have to take to protesting in the streets because our council won't take any action. We have to let them know that this is a city-wide problem."

Stadnyk said she had pipes burst at one of her rental properties, which required repairs costing $8,000.

A Facebook group has grown to over 1,000 members, which allows homeowners to exchange information about the leaks.

Stadnyk said many homes have been using garden hoses to get water from their neighbours, but that won't be possible with colder weather.

She said the province should investigate the cause, if the city won't cooperate.

The city had started adding sodium hydroxide to its water supply two years ago to reduce lead levels for homes with lead service pipes, but stopped earlier this year. City officials have not said if they believe the additive is the cause for the leaks.