Frozen water pipes have forced the District of Port Edward to shut off water to the RV Sanidump station at the entrance to the district.
Scott Duffus, the District’s public works foreman, said recent cold weather caused the pipes and taps to freeze at the station. Public works thawed the pipes before turning them off to prevent any damage from occurring to Port Edward’s water infrastructure.
READ MORE: Boil water notice in effect for Prince Rupert
The freeze has not affected running water to homes in Port Edward and was done purely as a preventative measure.
Duffus said the district typically turns off the taps at the Sanidump in late November and they remain off until early April due to the cold weather and threat of freezing during the winter season.
However, the district kept the taps on this year due to the boil water notice that has been in effect in Prince Rupert for the past three weeks.
“We have a state-of-the-art system and it hasn’t been publicized that well. We don’t mind helping the residents of Prince Rupert. We’re neighbours, and I’d encourage anybody who needs water to bring the proper containers to get them filled,” said Mayor Knut Bjorndal on Jan. 2, a day before the pipes froze.
The District made the sanidump available as a water fill-up station for Prince Rupert residents after the notice went into effect on Dec. 14. Duffus said Port Edward will continue to do so if the risk of freezing decreases.
“If it does turn around and the weather warms up we’ll open the taps back up,” he said.
READ MORE: Boil water notice in Prince Rupert expected to last another week
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