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
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.