Whitehorse Daily Star

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Photo by Vince Fedoroff

OFF LIMITS – This was the scene on the closed Quartz Road this morning as city crews coped with the water main rupture.

Major water main break investigated

City crews expect to know later today what caused a water main break under the Farmer Roberts building in the Quartz Road area close to Second Avenue.

By Stephanie Waddell on February 14, 2018

City crews expect to know later today what caused a water main break under the Farmer Roberts building in the Quartz Road area close to Second Avenue.

The flood has forced the store to close for now.

“We regret to inform you that Farmer Robert’s Store will be closed until flood clean-up is complete,” the shop informed the public via Facebook early this morning.

Along with the city also using social media to inform residents of the road closure and later reopening, many Whitehorse residents posted and shared videos and photographs of the flood this morning.

Emphasizing it’s a very rough estimate, Geoff Quinsey, the city’s manager of water and waste services, said upwards of 2,500 cubic metres of water is believed to have flowed after the problem was first noticed at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

The break was isolated at around midnight (with crews called in after hours, adding about an extra hour to the efforts to isolate it and shut down the flow as much as possible).

The largest amount of water flooded through the area at 2 a.m. today.

Crews worked through the night, with that section of Quartz Road closed off until just before 9 a.m.

Water service has been restored to most buildings in the area, with the exception of Farmer Roberts, through a temporary supply.

Quinsey said the city will be digging up the site of the break today to make the repair. It’s only then that the city expects to learn the cause.

Though Quartz Road is open, there will likely be traffic delays through the day as crews work in the area.

It’s recommended that drivers use alternate routes if possible and drive with caution in the area.

Comments (5)

Up 2 Down 1

north_of_60 on Feb 18, 2018 at 7:23 pm

@PSG " will those responsible be held accountable?"

ROTFL !!! This is the CoW, when is anyone ever held responsible for the mistakes they make? SOP is to simply blame it on a different level of government. With four levels of government in the Yukon, it's always easy to shift the blame.

The motto of all governments in the Yukon is: "What, Me Worry?" -- A.E. Neuman

Up 4 Down 0

Groucho d'North on Feb 18, 2018 at 10:34 am

"Nothing lasts forever" Official motto of the low bidder

Up 2 Down 2

Calf Wirter on Feb 16, 2018 at 3:00 pm

Before my toast got buttered at COW, I could have fixed that problem using only a banana peel and the spare tooth I keep around my neck on a strand of hair I use as a necklace. I'm that good folks.

Up 4 Down 1

ProScience Greenie on Feb 15, 2018 at 10:36 am

When was the water service installed? Who was the contractor? What engineering firm(s) were involved? Who was the city's engineer and inspectors? If deficiencies are found (design or installation) will the public be told about it and will those responsible be held accountable?

Up 4 Down 1

Here we go again on Feb 14, 2018 at 3:31 pm

No maintenance plan for our City and Mayor just spent money on wrong priorities. Does the mayor understand what he is doing to our city?

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