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A water main break slowed the Friday afternoon commute for some motorists in North Kildonan.
Crews working on new underground piping at the North End Sewage Treatment Plant accidentally damaged a water main that resulted in localized flooding along Main Street, near Chief Peguis Trail, the city said in a news release.
Main Street was closed in both directions, between Seaforth Avenue and Chief Peguis Trail.
Winnipeg police were also on scene to direct traffic off Main Street and onto other roadways.
Winnipeg police redirected traffic after a water main break flooded Main Street on Friday. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)
Tim Solleveld was on the D10 city bus heading southbound on Main Street shortly after 4 p.m. when it passed a vehicle that stopped in the left lane.
He posted a video of the break to Facebook, and told CBC that there was a lengthy delay to turn south onto Main Street from Chief Peguis Trail. He estimates the backlog added about 30 extra minutes to his trip home.
Some water also came in through the front of the bus, he said.
“[Water] went underneath the driver’s door and started going down the aisle. So it got about probably halfway, maybe a little bit to the back,” Solleveld said.
Nobody pankicked, and he estimated it only took a few extra minutes to get through the water-logged stretch.
“I have never seen it this bad. I’ve seen a couple of small ones but not like this,” Solleveld said.
“It was on both sides [of Main Street]and also by the [Kildonan Park] Golf Course, and it was across the sidewalk by the sewage plant.”
WATCH | Transit passenger captures Main Street flooding:
Water main break inundates north Main Street
Video shot by Tim Solleveld from inside Winnipeg Transit’s D10 bus shows water covering Main Street during rush hour on Friday afternoon. The city said a water main was damaged by crews working on the North End Wastewater Treatment Plant, resulting in the closure of Main Street in both directions between Seaforth Avenue and Chief Peguis Trail.
An assessment is underway to determine the extent of the damage and any potential impacts to area residents and businesses, the city said.
The break also affected water flow, which stirred up existing sediment in water pipes and caused discoloured water, the city said in a Facebook post.
The city is advising residents in north Winnipeg to check for discolouration before using water for purposes that require clean water.
To check for discoloured water, the city recommends running a cold water tap — preferably a bathtub — for a few minutes and catching some water in a light-coloured cup.
If the water isn’t clear, residents are encouraged to turn off the tap, wait 30 minutes and try again.
