Homeowner wants city to speak about Thunder Bay's leaky copper pipes

One homeowner in Thunder Bay, Ont., says he wants the city to explain why he was forced to spend over $10,000 this winter, to replace a leaking water service line.

Carlo DeAgazio said he's frustrated he had to have his yard dug up, and pay out of pocket to replace the pipe bringing water to his north-side home.

The city added sodium hydroxide to the entire municipal water supply in 2018, but discontinued the practice in early 2020 after a number of complaints were received about pinhole leaks in copper water lines.

"If there's a subset of houses to treat, why would you treat an entire water system just for a subset of houses. I would think that the problem lies with those houses individually, probably would have been the smarter route to go," said DeAgazio.

He said he wants to hear why the city proceeded with adding the chemical to the water supply, instead of taking a different course of action.

DeAgazio said he's more frustrated by the silence from the city over the issue than anything else.

"I'm sure there's other studies out there or other information that could have been [considered]," he said.

"A conclusion could have been made with a little more due diligence on the information gathering, and whether this was the best solution to that problem." 

David O'Connor, a partner at Roy O'Connor LLP in Toronto, is the lawyer heading up a proposed class-action lawsuit against the city.

Part of his case, he said, is that there were other solutions to deal with the issue of lead in drinking water, which is why sodium hydroxide was added to the water supply in the first place.

"We have been contacted, if my information is correct, by over 1,000 people who are indicating that they have the same sort of problem, or a concern about the same sort of leaking," O'Connor told CBC News.

O'Connor said homeowners do not have to contact the law office to become part of the class action, however, he said homeowners with questions are welcome to speak with the office.

"We're talking about significant sums that affects one of the most personal things of their lives — their homes," said O'Connor.

O'Connor said he wants to see the class-action case certified by the court by the summer. He said if the case is certified, then the city would be required to file a statement of defence after.

He said another court case by St. Joseph's Care Group will not interfere with the class action suit, but it may give him a better idea of how the city could defend its case in the class-action suit.