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
From AI running wild to collapsing ecosystems, government report outlines future disruptions
From artificial intelligence running wild to collapsing ecosystems, a new Canadian government report outlines 35 disruptions that could rattle the country in the near future.
B.C. serial killer Robert Pickton hospitalized after prison attack
British Columbia serial killer Robert Pickton was attacked and sustained life-threatening injuries in a Quebec prison Sunday in what officials described as a 'major assault.'
opinion Tom Mulcair: With Trudeau spiralling, Mark Carney waits in the wings
In his latest column for CTVNews.ca, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair argues that if there's an unofficial frontrunner in the eventual race to replace Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader, it has to be former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney.
Toronto Blue Jays fan struck by 110 m.p.h foul ball offered tickets, signed baseball by team
The Toronto Blue Jays have offered tickets and a signed baseball to a fan who says she was struck in the face by a 110 m.p.h (177 km/h) foul ball at Friday’s game.
Matthew Perry's death is being investigated over ketamine level found in actor's blood, reports say
An investigation has been opened into the death of Matthew Perry and how the “Friends” actor received the anesthetic ketamine, which was ruled a contributing factor in his death.
OPP continues to investigate boat collision north of Kingston, Ont. that left 3 people dead
Ontario Provincial Police continue to investigate a long weekend fatal boat collision on Bobs Lake, north of Kingston, Ont.
Police in Ontario say suspects charged in armed home invasion near Toronto part of 'larger criminal network'
Police in Ontario say a group of suspects charged in an armed home invasion north of Toronto last year were driving a vehicle stolen in a carjacking in Calgary just one month earlier.
Stolen septic truck swerves through traffic, spike belt needed to stop it: Manitoba RCMP
A 29-year-old woman has been charged after police say she stole a septic truck from a Manitoba community and drove erratically on the highway.
Orphan orca's extended family spotted off northeast side of Vancouver Island
Members of a killer whale pod related to an orphan orca calf that escaped a remote British Columbia tidal lagoon last month have been spotted off the northeast coast of Vancouver Island.