Boil-water advisory continues Saturday after major water-main break

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A boil-water advisory for parts of the eastern half of Montreal caused by a major water-main break remained in effect Saturday morning.

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The water main broke early Friday morning near the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, creating an impressive geyser that shot several feet into the air.

Nearby residences and commercial buildings were flooded as a result.

The boil-water advisory was issued for parts of the boroughs of Mercier — Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and Rivière-des-Prairies-Pointe-aux-Trembles, as well as Montréal-Est.

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People living south of Sherbrooke St. in those areas were asked to boil water for one minute before consuming it or using it to brush their teeth.

The city is yet to explain what caused the break. The 84-inch-wide pipe was installed in 1985 and was part of the city’s drinking water network.

In an interview with TVA Nouvelles on Saturday morning, city of Montreal spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said everything is now “under control” in the sector where the break occurred.

Sabourin said city crews continued to help residents pump out water throughout the day Friday. In all, about 50 residences and 20 businesses were affected.

“There are businesses that were really hit hard and are still dealing with water-related issues, especially those with basements,” Sabourin said, noting garbage crews will be in the area throughout the weekend to pick up any large items or debris.

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Sabourin noted when the water main broke, it also damaged two smaller pipes, including one used for sewer water and one for drinking water. Those will be repaired this week, but fixing the larger pipe could take much longer, he added.

The geyser started around 5:45 a.m. Friday and was considered under control by 9 a.m., Sabourin said, though water continued to flood surrounding streets into the afternoon.

He stressed investments made by the city in its water infrastructure in recent years have managed to reduce the number of water-main breaks by 50 per cent.

“There will always be a risk of future breaks,” Sabourin said, “but by understanding the network and investing in it, we put the chances on our side of lowering the risk of having another incident like this one, which was extreme.”

The main break came exactly a week after Montreal was hit by the remnants of post-tropical storm Debby, which battered the city with a record-breaking 150 millimetres of rain.

A water-main break also occurred near the McGill University Health Centre in July, disrupting service at the hospital for hours.

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