The water main that suffered a major break Friday in Montreal had been inspected six years ago, but according to the city, at the time, it was not in a worrying condition that would have represented an “imminent risk” and would have required immediate repairs.
The City of Montreal provided an update on Monday on Friday’s events, when a 2.1-metre (84-inch) diameter water main burst in the area of De Lorimier Avenue and René-Lévesque Boulevard, causing flooding in the surrounding streets.
The pipe in question had been inspected as part of the 2017-2018 monitoring program, said Water Service Director Chantal Morissette. “We had deterioration. That’s why the pipe was under surveillance, with an inspection planned in the coming months,” she explained. Mme Morissette maintains that if the condition of the pipe had been deemed critical, it would have been taken out of service.
The C-301 type pipeline is made of steel and concrete and was installed in 1985. These are pipelines that are considered the most “vulnerable” in particular because they are sensitive to corrosion, Chantal Morissette pointed out. Over the weekend, the City was able to excavate the site and pump out the water that had accumulated underground. Media representatives were therefore able to see the state of degradation of the pipeline on Monday, which had a significant breach.
The City is not able to provide reasons for the premature deterioration of the pipe. “It was not a pipe at the end of its life,” said Valérie Plante. “It was quite recent when you think about the lifespan of a pipe. But obviously, we will be able to find the reason and ensure that it does not happen again. That is the goal, obviously,” said Valérie Plante.
According to Chantal Morissette, the water pipes have a theoretical lifespan of one hundred years, but those installed at the beginning of the century have much better resistance than those installed after the war, she said.
The repair of the pipe will take several weeks because the city does not have all the required parts.
Residents who have suffered flooding have two weeks to file claims with the City.
Further details will follow.