Watermain break compromises Alexandria water supply

Provided by Township of North Glengarry
Watermain break compromises Alexandria water supply
The North Glengarry Township office in Alexandria. (Cornwall Seaway News photo).

ALEXANDRIA, Ontario – Earlier this morning, on Thursday, May 2, the main water intake for Alexandria was damaged and the water supply to Alexandria has been temporarily shut down. It is still safe for citizens to drink their water, which is currently being supplied by the Alexandria Water Tower.

“No boil water advisory has been issued at this time. It is still safe to consumer the water, but we do ask that residents conserve water until repairs can be made,” said Environmental Services Manager Dean MacDonald.

The Township of North Glengarry has enacted its Emergency Protocol Procedures and the Water Works Department is working to quickly rectify this matter. Emergency pumps have been ordered to help to restore water.

In order to correct the damage, crews will need to block the main intake pipe and to replace the damaged section of the water main.

In the event of a fire, the North Glengarry Fire Department will put an action plan in place to mitigate any hydrant use until this problem is rectified.

“The fire department is prepared for these types of situations. In the event of an emergency we would follow the same action plans undertaken in rural areas. In the event of a fire a water tanker shuttle service would be used. The fire department is also capable of pulling water directly from the Mill Pond,” said Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Roy.

We are asking that all residents in Alexandria take every effort to help us by reducing their water intake and conserving water as much as possible as we repair the damage to the pipe. Alexandria consumes an average of 2,000-cubic-metres of water each day. We are hoping to reduce this average to ensure than our 1,500 users can maintain their water service throughout the repair period.

The impact of this damage is restricted to Alexandria. Residents in Glen Robertson are not impacted, as they are on a separate system.

Share this article