WINNIPEG — Despite not having water for 10 days, Chocolatier Constance Popp is managing to make sweet treats, but it is getting tough.
“We have had to postpone orders, cancel some,” said Constance Menzies, the shop’s owner.
Her speciality shop in St.Boniface is still open; however, her café is closed.
Water has to be brought in and boiled one pot at a time.
“It’s not ideal,” said Kim Cooke, one of Menzies employees.
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Menzies fears customers won’t come to her shop anymore and said small business owners need all the support they can get.
“We are still open and we have stock,” Menzies said.
She hasn’t heard from the city when a crew will be available to thaw the frozen water line. Tired of waiting, she called a private contractor who tried to thaw the pipes using pressurized hot water on Monday.
“We have had some success,” said Jaret Horbatiuk of Tractus Projects.
Horbatiuk used the method to thaw four other properties’ pipes. Chocolatier Constance Popp was the first commercial business he worked on.
After several hours of trying, Horbatiuk’s method was unsuccessful.
He said his attempt failed because there are too many bends in the water pipe.
“I am disappointed,” said Menzies. “I put all my eggs in one basket.”
Horbatiuk said he will install a temporary water line between the chocolatier and the business next door to allow the chocolatier’s business to operate as normal.
He would like to share his method with the city, but no one has returned his calls. He also would like the city to share water line information so he can improve his pipe-thawing process.
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