'There were a lot of angry tenants': Winnipeg high-rise tenants forced to go weeks without hot water
Tenants of a Winnipeg high-rise building say they went weeks without hot water.
The issue began in September, when water for the entire building, located on Webb Place, was shut off without notice due to an issue with a pipe. The tenants were told it was not a City of Winnipeg issue, and the building would have to deal with it.
A few days later, the tenants from the first to 15th floors got cold running water, but those on floors 16 to 21 did not, as the temporary pump that was brought in did not have enough pressure to make it to the top of building.
“The tenants on 16 and up had nothing,” said Barbara Bell with the Tenant Association.
It took two weeks before hot water was returned to the entire building and for those on floors 16 to 21 to get any running water at all.
“For the first five days, you had to haul water from the next building,” Bell said, noting that people were hauling buckets of water to flush their toilets and wash their dishes.
She said to help with the situation, the building’s management brought in portable washrooms and offered showers in empty suites at the building next door.
“I have family in the city, I could have a shower, go somewhere else and have a shower where I felt safe,” she said.
“I don’t know what my neighbours did. I don’t know what those people on [floors] 16 to 21 did. I can’t even imagine being two weeks without hot and cold running water.”
Bell said it would be nice to get an apology from the building’s management company.
“There were a lot of angry tenants,” she said.
“There were a lot of disgruntled tenants. I mean, there’s a lot of resentment towards the management staff that did nothing for us.”
The company that manages the building later offered $100 in compensation.
“There was no discussion. There was no negotiation,” Bell said.
She said she does feel this is adequate compensation.
“Not for people who went without water for 14 full days,” she said.
“Not for those people who are elderly who had problems. Not for the disabled.”
Bell said she doesn’t know for sure what took so long for the water to come back, but says she heard it had to do with ordering the pipe.
CTV Winnipeg has reached out to the property management company for a response.
- With files from CTV's Jon Hendricks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Canadian couple among tourists on sinking sailing boat tour abroad
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their “extremely dangerous” experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
An Ontario senior thought he called Geek Squad for help with his printer. Instead, he got scammed out of $25,000
An Ontario senior’s attempt to get technical help online led him into a spoofing scam where he lost $25,000. Now, he’s sharing his story to warn others.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.