The Municipality of West Hants says the province “has not advised” them that the region is a ‘risk high’ for naturally occurring sink holes as highlighted in a Global News report last week.
On Sept. 3, the home of Chris and Heather Strickey started to sink into the ground after a large hole opened up beneath their two-storey house on Mountain View Drive in Falmouth, N.S.
DNR says area a high risk for naturally occurring sink holes
Following the incident, the municipality called what happened to the Strickey home a sinkhole twice – before later referring to it as “soil giving away under the slab of the home.”
When researching the issue, Global News spoke with Bob Ryan, a geologist with the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Ryan said the area in Falmouth where the Strickey home is located, is mapped as “high-risk” for naturally occurring sink holes.
In fact, it’s one of a number of areas across Nova Scotia that have that designation by DNR. Ryan said parts of Windsor, Kennetcook, Shubenacadie, Antigonish and Cape Breton are also mapped as “high risk.”
READ MORE: Area where N.S. home ruined over weekend already considered ‘high risk’ for sink holes: officials
Municipality unavailable for interviews, releases Q&A sheet
Global News has been in contact with the Municipality of West Hants since the incident occurred. To date, we have not been able secure an interview with anyone in connection with the incident, however some questions have been answered through email.
In a Question and Answer sheet posted on the municipalities website Monday, they referred to Ryan’s interview with Global News, saying “We understand that a Department of Natural Resources employee was interviewed and apparently used the words “high risk” during the interview. We don’t know the context in which the phrase was used. We do know that the Province has not advised the Municipality that West Hants is a “high risk” area.”
READ: The night a Nova Scotia house fell into the ground
‘Unpredictable random low risk event’
The municipality says they called in a structural engineer and geotechnical engineer (professional who investigates underground conditions and materials) following the incident on Sept. 3.
The officials assessed the condition of the building to determine if there was an immediate risk to it collapsing.
The muncipality says it was determined that there was no “immediate risk but that the building would have to come down and the property remediated.”
The geotechnical engineer examined the property, surrounding neighbourhood and the underlying geology of the area and gave the opinion that “this event was an unpredictable random low risk event associated with the underlying bedrock type of the entire Windsor area.”
In the Q&A, the municipality says people have safely lived in the Windsor/West Hants area for over 250 years.
“On occasion, there have been incidents of “sink holes” in roadways, fields, etc. This is the first incident affecting a residence that anyone can recall,” the municipality writes.
It goes on to say that with “gypsum (the natural bedrock type of the entire Windsor area), as a natural phenomenon, the probability of a similar event occurring is no greater today then the day before this unfortunate incident occurred. The risk has been described to us by our geotechnical consultant as a “general, low occurrence risk”.
READ MORE: Falmouth residents host community meeting to discuss possible sink hole in neighbourhood
Municipality says they aren’t withholding information
Following the incident at the Strickey home, some residents expressed their frustration that they were not getting clear answers from officials.
In fact, a community meeting was held to try and bring the community together and press for answers.
In their Q&A, the municipality says they have “not withheld and is not withholding information concerning the risk to other properties.”
They say that some information about the individual property is not being released to respect the privacy interests of the property owners. Any investigations carried out by any insurers are only available for release if the insurers consent to do so or as required by law.
“We do not know why the soil failed at that particular location, at that particular time,” reads the Q&A.
“We don’t know if there were contributing factors such as construction techniques or heavy rainfalls. We don’t know where or when a similar occurrence might happen in the future.”
The Municipality says they will be working with professionals to determine what further investigation, if any, needs to be done. In addition, the municipality says the property owner and its insurer will likely try to determine the underlying cause.
Why build in potential risk areas?
The issue of why the municipality would allow homes to be built in potential risk areas was one of the questions we’ve been looking to get an answer to.
In the Q&A, the municipality says “To prohibit development wherever this bedrock type is prevalent would be a very dramatic change for such a low risk, and it may be beyond the Municipality’s authority.”
The municipality says they have no control over natural resources above or under the ground.
“We have the authority to design and plan for the use of the land for sustainable economic development. Council, with input from the public, sets the type of uses for land through zoning and subdivision by-laws. We consider where people currently live, what the neighbourhood could look like and how we can provide services efficiently and economically.”
The municipality says based on those controls, land owners and/or developers decide when, where and what they want to put on the land.
“Professionals like architects and engineers design the structures and ensure they are suitable to the physical characteristics of the land. The builders build them and the Municipality inspects them to ensure the builder is meeting the building codes, regulations and standards determined by professional and regulatory bodies. Real estate agents sell the houses and the Municipality provides the services likes roads, fire, police and emergency protection, water, sewer and waste collection, to name a few.”
More testing may be done, no way to predict property value impact: municipality
The municipality says they will be working with professionals to determine the appropriate scope of “any geotechnical and historical investigation” and what steps, if any should be taken.
As for property values, the municipality says the value of property “changes over time because is it primarily based on the what a willing buyer is prepared to pay and the seller to accept.”
They go on to say that “There is no way to predict the affect this isolated incident could have on individual properties in the immediate area, if at all.”
WATCH: Frustrated residents of Falmouth, N.S., look for answers after sink hole destroys home
If you have concerns have property checked, don’t assume municipality will pay for it
The municipality has released four steps for homeowners who may be concerned about their property in light of the incident, they are:
- You could check your property and your home for unusual cracks in your foundation
or walls; - You could contact your builder or developer to ask them questions about the
construction of your home; - You could contact your insurance company for advice;
- You can go on line to the Provincial Department of Natural Resources website to view
the maps and information they have on line.
On the issue of whether or not the municipality will pay for any geotechnical studies done by residents, the municipality says it “is making its own inquiries and it should not be assumed that it will pay for professionals engaged by others.”
As for the homeowners, Heather Strickey told Global News Monday that the property has now been turned over to their insurance however, they have still not received any answers about coverage and are hoping to receive more information this week.
With the exception of their vehicle and a ride-on lawnmower that fire officials were able to get after cutting a hole in their garage, the Strickey’s lost all of their belongings in the incident.