The cleanup continues following a landslide at Norrish Creek that blocked off a road and severed Abbotsford and Mission’s water supply pipe – and the estimated cost is $300,000.
On Oct. 2, a 300-metre slide forced the city to shut down its water service to Norrish Creek while crews continue to clear the area.
The slide is not expected to impact service – water is currently being supplied from the city’s wells and Cannell Lake – and the city has estimated it will take two to four weeks to repair the system.
The city brought in a geotechnical consultant to assess the extent of the rockslide and stability of the remaining rock slope.
Scaling contractor Pacific Blasting and Demolition Ltd. (Pacific) started with rock scaling on Oct. 11 and the work is scheduled to be completed by Monday Oct. 21.
The city plans to begin rock and debris removal on Monday and the work is expected to take approximately two weeks. People with vehicles and equipment trapped by the slide will be given the opportunity to retrieve their property off the mountain as soon as it’s safe to do so.
While the full extent of the damage to the water main cannot be assessed until the debris is removed from the pipe, the city said its consultant is working on a repair strategy. The current estimate is that the repairs will take three weeks, and the access road will be re-opened to the public one the water supply pipe is repaired.
The watermain repairs costs, rock scaling and cleanup is currently estimated at $300,000.
Abbotsford usually receives surface water from Norrish Creek.
The city states that some residents have noticed that water may taste or smell different than usual, but the water is safe to drink.
