Swift change in temperature leads to multiple water main breaks across Calgary
Rapidly changing temperatures have led to a handful of water main breaks across Calgary.
Much of the province saw a quick turnaround from the cold conditions, with Calgary warming up as much as 26 C in just 24 hours, and now city crews are working to restore water services to more than 200 homes.
According to the city's website, there were eleven water main breaks as of 1 p.m. Thursday.
While repairs generally take between 24 to 48 hours, the sheer number of issues across the city is causing delays.
Water main breaks are tough to predict and can happen for various reasons, but they're common in extreme cold weather and after quick temperature shifts.
With the brief cold spell the city experienced in the days leading up to Thursday morning, the soil surrounding the affected water mains froze, which caused the water molecules in the ground to expand.
Naturally, when the region began warming up, that soil started to thaw, causing those water molecules to shrink, making the ground shift, cracking pipes along the way.
Ogden is the most impacted neighbourhood, with 40 homes left without running water.
"I've seen where people have had them before, further down and on other blocks, but we had never had one here," said Sharon Arnold, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 12 years and has been left without running water.
"It was just a matter of time, I guess."
If you see water coming up through the grass, road or sidewalk, that's a good indication of a water main break in your community.
In that case, people are asked to call 311 to alert the city's water services unit, and crews will attend to the situation as soon as possible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
MPs agree Canadian gov't should improve new disability benefit
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.