Prince Albert opens shower facility to households without water

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Access to a shower facility is being offered to Prince Albert households that have been without water due to frozen service lines and water main breaks.

Starting Monday, the Kinsmen Water Park will be open from 7 a.m. to 7p.m. daily while repairs continue around the city.

People will be required to show identification as well as give their name and address and parents are being asked to provide gender appropriate supervision for their children when using the communal shower facilities.

“We know people are making arrangements with family, friends and neighbours but if this is not possible, we wanted to be sure there was a facility where people could go to have access to showers,” said Colin Innes, the director of public works for Prince Albert.

In addition to opening the shower facility for at least three weeks, the city is delivering drinking water to affected households.

“Access to running water is a priority,” said Innes. We want to be sure we are looking at all available options to minimize the impact on Prince Albert families.”

Prince Albert has been dealing with a record number of frozen service lines and water main breaks over the last several weeks following a uniquely cold winter.

To date, there have been 94 reported frozen lines and 39 water main breaks.

Crews are starting to make progress and additional contractors have been brought in to assist but city officials say there is a minimum of three weeks of work dealing with the existing frozen lines.

“They are working around the clock to restore services and reports are showing that we are starting to get ahead of the issue,” said Mayor Greg Dionne.

Services are being dealt with on a priority basis, with those threatening safety and property being handled first, followed by schools, care home and daycares and then businesses that rely on water services.

All other properties are being dealt with in the order in which they were called in to the city.