MONTREAL – The city of Longueuil’s boil-water advisory has been lifted in Vieux-Longueuil and St. Hubert, and for the cities of Boucherville and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. The boil-water advisory remains in effect in the Carignan on Golf sector of Carignan.
This follows a spectacular leak on Wednesday, civic authorities in Longueuil finally managed to shut off a roaring water gusher erupting from a broken water main.
That was more than five hours after the wet stuff had started to flood aboveground, and, notably, into area basements as well as drain into the area’s storm-sewer system.
A variety of valves in multiple locations had to be shut off by city work crews before the water flow could be arrested, Longueuil official Jacques Tétreault said after the pipe shutdown was completed.
The broken pipe was installed about 30 years ago, he added.
It is 30 inches or 76.2 centimetres in diameter, Tétreault said – one of the backbones of the area’s water-distribution network.
The pipe breach had produced a spectacular and consistent geyser, about 2 metres high.
The water flow crippled a significant section of Roland Therrien Blvd., a major Longueuil thoroughfare.
The broken pipe was initially reported to authorities at 4:38 a.m., Constable Mark David of Longueuil police said.
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A nine-block stretch of Roland Therrien – between Roberval Blvd. E. and Toulouse St. – remained partially closed on Friday.
About 15 area homes have sustained significant water damage, flooded basements in particular.
A total of about 80 homes have now been cut off from their municipal water supply, Tétreault said.
Three homes suffered more than the others, he added, and have been evacuated.
The Red Cross is taking charge of their former occupants, Tétreault said.
Legal liability for the damages remained an open question; Tétreault said the “normal recourse” would be available to those whose homes were flooded, and that the initial step for them was to contact their home-insurance providers.
No immediate forecast was available for how long repairs might take, or the dollar amount of damages.
The advisory, in effect until further notice, was for the boroughs of Vieux-Longueuil and Saint-Hubert, and the cities of Boucherville, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville and Carignan.
About 190,000 people live in the affected areas.
The city recommended that water be boiled for at least one minute before it is consumed. Tap water can still be used for washing clothes, taking showers or washing dishes, as long as dishes are well-dried afterward, the city said.
– With files from Andy Riga
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