Records obtained by the Ladysmith Chronicle show that there have been 128 leaks on Town of Ladysmith owned water services since the beginning of 2020.
The leaks began in May of 2020 and have continued as far as June 28, 2021. August 2020 was the month with the most leaks at 18, followed by January 2021 at 17. There is no clear pattern to the leaks, which are spread over a wide area of Ladysmith. The total cost of repair work to date is $476,666.
Colonia Drive saw the most leaks with nine occurring since May 2020. 3rd Avenue, 1st Avenue and Thetis Drive have each had seven leaks. White Street and 4th Avenue Extension both had six leaks. Bayview Avenue, Methuen Street and High Street have each had five leaks.
Director of Infrastructure Services Geoff Goodall previously told the Chronicle that the cause of the leaks is unknown. The leading hypothesis is that the new water filtration plant may have caused issues with the Town’s water infrastructure, but that hasn’t been proven. The water filtration plant came online in June 2020.
RELATED: Town says water service line leaks have slowed down
Many of the leaks occur on copper water service lines that carry water from mains to houses. The leaks mainly occur in areas where the copper is thinner or has been manipulated.
Address numbers of leak locations were redacted under Section 22(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act to protect nearby residents’ personal information and privacy.
Town of Ladysmith Water Service Leaks 2020:
Colonia Drive 04-May
3rd Avenue 06-May
High Street 02-July
1st Avenue 15-July
Coburn Place 22-July
3rd Avenue 31-July
Bertram Place 31-July
McKinley Road 06-Aug.
Gatacre Street 12-Aug.
Colonia Drive 14-Aug.
1st Avenue 19-Aug.
Bayview Avenue 24-Aug.
White Street 24-Aug.
Warren Street 24-Aug.
Dogwood Drive 24-Aug.
4th Avenue 26-Aug.
Thetis Drive 26-Aug.
Davis Road 27-Aug.
Buller Street 27-Aug.
Thetis Drive 27-Aug.
3rd Avenue 28-Aug.
3rd Avenue 28-Aug.
3rd Avenue 29-Aug.
Davidson Road 30-Aug.
4th Avenue Extension 30-Aug.
French Street 01-Sep.
Warren Street 09-Sep.
4th Avenue 15-Sep.
Colonia Drive 16-Sep.
Davis Road 17-Sep.
6th Avenue 18-Sep.
4th Avenue 22-Sep.
McKinley Road 23-Sep.
3rd Avenue 26-Sep.
5th Avenue 28-Sep.
Alderwood Drive 29-Sep.
Belaire Street 29-Sep.
White Street 03-Oct.
3rd Avenue 06-Oct.
Thetis Drive 16-Oct.
Thetis Drive 20-Oct.
2nd Avenue 22-Oct.
2nd Avenue 29-Oct.
Colonia Drive 30-Oct.
Short Close 06-Nov.
Kitchener Street 17-Nov.
Colonia Drive 19-Nov.
Baden-Powell Street 20-Nov.
Baden-Powell Street 20-Nov.
Cloke Road 24-Nov.
White Street 25-Nov.
4th Avenue Extension 26-Nov.
De Frane Court 27-Nov.
Stuart Place 28-Nov.
4th Avenue Extension 30-Nov.
Warren Street 30-Nov.
Colonia Drive 01-Dec.
Alderwood Drive 02-Dec.
Methuen Street 03-Dec.
5th Avenue 10-Dec.
Bayview Avenue 10-Dec.
Walkem Road 14-Dec.
5th Avenue 14-Dec.
Methuen Street 29-Dec.
Jamison Road 29-Dec.
Total: 66
Town of Ladysmith Water Service Leaks 2021:
Methuen Street 04-Jan.
French Street 11-Jan.
High Street 12-Jan.
Colonia Drive 14-Jan.
Ryan Place 15-Jan.
Baden-Powell Street 18-Jan.
Jamison Road 18-Jan.
High Street 19-Jan.
2nd Avenue 20-Jan.
6th Avenue 21-Jan.
Stillin Drive 25-Jan.
5th Avenue 26-Jan.
Warren Street 26-Jan.
4th Avenue Extension 27-Jan.
Dogwood Drive 27-Jan.
4th Avenue Extension 29-Jan.
Wilrose Place 29-Jan.
Davis Road 01-Feb.
White Street 02-Feb.
Colonia Drive 03-Feb.
1st Avenue 03-Feb.
White Street 05-Feb.
1st Avenue 07-Feb.
Mylene Crescent 08-Feb.
High Street 08-Feb.
2nd Avenue 10-Feb.
Stillin Drive 10-Feb.
Dogwood Drive 22-Feb.
Rothdale Road 25-Feb.
Cloke Road 01-Mar.
Short Close 04-Mar.
Symonds Street 08-Mar.
Symonds Street 08-Mar.
Forward Road 11-Mar.
Arbutus Crescent 19-Mar.
De Frane Court 19-Mar.
High Street 23-Mar.
Methuen Street 25-Mar.
White Street 30-Mar.
French Street 30-Mar.
Ryan Place 06-Apr.
Therres Crescent 06-Apr.
Cloke Road 06-Apr.
Thetis Drive 18-Apr.
1st Avenue 22-Apr.
Methuen Street 29-Apr.
Colonia Drive 03-May
Therres Crescent 06-May
Davidson Road 06-May
Bayview Avenue 17-May
Bayview Avenue 19-May
Walkem Road 19-May
Sivers Place 20-May
Maplewood Way 21-May
Warren Street 22-May
4th Avenue Extension 28-May
Jamison Road 04-Jun.
Stillin Drive 07-Jun.
1st Avenue 14-Jun.
Chemainus Road 19-Jun.
Bayview Avenue 28-Jun.
Total: 62
