Water-main breaks plague north Edmonton home
People are being urged to conserve water in Edmonton right now, but a north-side resident says he has more than his property can handle.
A recurring water-main break has flooded the yard, garage and basement of Chris Cherneske's home multiple times.
"It actually filled my garage with about eight inches of mud and water," Cherneske told CTV News Edmonton on Thursday about the latest break that has flooded his Kensington property.
He now wonders if he'll be soaked for damages if it happens again.
The problem with the Epcor water main near his house has caused three floods over the last three years, the biggest one occurring two years ago and causing $70,000 to $80,000 in damage.
Cherneske says he's worried his insurance company will discontinue his coverage if it keeps happening.
He said their advice to him is to find a way to keep the water out.
"I’ve been told to sandbag my property and protect my house from water," Cherneske said.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says if Cherneske's property keeps flooding, he could be on his own, a spokesperson told CTV News Edmonton in part.
"Insurance covers sudden and unexpected events," the insurance bureau said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton.
"In this situation, where water has repeatedly entered the home, this would not be considered sudden and/or unexpected. Therefore, coverage would likely not apply until the water main is fixed."
Epcor tells CTV News Edmonton it recognizes the continual breaks are an issue and that sections of the water main have been identified for "priority placement," but that any work will have to wait for the spring thaw.
"We understand this resident’s frustration and can confirm there have been multiple main break repairs at this location," Epcor said in a statement to CTV News Edmonton.
"The water main north of 133 Avenue and east of 118 Street was installed in 1962 and is made of cast iron, which breaks more frequently than other materials due to different factors like the freeze/thaw cycle, ground disturbance, settlement and soil conditions."
Cherneske says he wants Epcor to fix the water main for good.
"They just continually put little patches and not do anything about it really," he said. "It is pretty disappointing."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Three dead, two hospitalized, following collision in Fredericton: police
Three people have died and two have been hospitalized after a speeding car struck a tree and landed on another vehicle in Fredericton Sunday morning.
Amid climate change warnings, Canadians lukewarm on electric vehicles
Amid scientists' warnings that nations need to transition away from fossil fuels to limit climate change, Canadians are still lukewarm on electric vehicles, according to a study conducted by Nanos Research for CTV News.
Montreal man on the hook for thousands of dollars after a feature on his Tesla caused an accident
A Montreal man is warning Tesla drivers about using the Smart Summon feature after his vehicle hit another in a parking lot.
Madonna's biggest-ever concert transforms Rio's Copacabana beach into a massive dance floor
Madonna put on a free concert on Copacabana beach Saturday night, turning Rio de Janeiro's vast stretch of sand into an enormous dance floor teeming with a multitude of her fans.
1 person killed and 23 injured in a bus crash in northern Maryland, police say
One person was killed and 23 others were injured when a bus crashed early Sunday on Interstate 95 in northern Maryland, police said.
Nylander defends Leafs' core after playoff exit, Toronto again picks up the pieces
William Nylander stood in a solemn visitors locker room at TD Garden just before midnight. The Maple Leafs had battled back from a 3-1 series deficit against the Boston Bruins with consecutive 2-1 victories - including one that required extra time - in their first-round playoff series to push the club's Original Six rival to the limit before suffering a devastating Game 7 overtime loss. Nylander's message was emphatic.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
‘Love has no boundaries’: Sask. couple in their 90s and 80s get married
Eighty-two-year-old Susan Neufeldt and 90-year-old Ulrich Richter are no spring chickens, but their love blossomed over the weekend with their wedding at Pine View Manor just outside of Rosthern.
Video shows gaggle of geese stopping traffic on Highway 1 near Vancouver
A mother goose and her goslings caused a bit of a traffic jam on a busy stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway near Vancouver Saturday.