Winnipeg's water main renewal wrapping up; pipes from the 1900s among those replaced
Another year is almost in the books for the city for replacing water mains throughout Winnipeg.
Every year, crews go throughout Winnipeg replacing these water mains as part of the Water Main Renewal Program.
"Every year we have capital investment in infrastructure renewal, so we invest money in our water main every year to repair the ones that are no longer meeting the level of service," said Cynthia Wiebe, who is the manager of engineering services for the city.
She added the main goal of the replacement is to maintain the level of service for Winnipeggers.
The replacement cycle usually runs from May to October every year, and in 2021, the city replaced pipes that have been in the ground between 1900 and 1980.
Wiebe said even though some of the pipes were extremely old, the city doesn't replace them based on their age.
"It's all based on the risk to (the) level of service. So our risk is the probability we are going to have a water main failure times the consequence. So probability, we base it on main breaks."
She added the older pipes are made out of cast iron and are extremely thick, so they can last a long time.
Once the pipes need replacement, Wiebe said the city replaces them with the new PVC pipes.
For projects in the future, Wiebe said homes will be hooked up to a temporary water supply while the pipe is being replaced, so that there is no service disruption.
"In terms of construction, we do work very closely with Public Works, and we try to take a very holistic, right of way asset management approach."
She said there are traffic impacts when these pipes are replaced, but the city tries to minimize that impact as much as possible.
The 2021 budget was set at $18 million and the 2022 plan is being developed, with the city saying a final budget will be approved by council.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
"It's a bit of a complicated pattern; we've got a lot going on," said Jennifer Smith of the Meteorological Service of Canada in an interview with CTVNews.ca on Wednesday. "[As is] typical with weather, all of these things are related."
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Police tangle with students in Texas and California as wave of campus protest against Gaza war grows
Police tangled with student demonstrators in Texas and California while new encampments sprouted Wednesday at Harvard and other colleges as school leaders sought ways to defuse a growing wave of pro-Palestinian protests.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'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.