Ucluelet First Nation under state of emergency after barge, tsunami damages water main
Residents in the Ucluelet First Nation on the west coast of Vancouver Island have been warned not to use their household water for anything besides flushing toilets after an underwater water main that serves the community was damaged.
The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ government has declared a state of emergency over the water main break, which occurred Monday.
The District of Ucluelet believes that Saturday's tsunami near Tongo, and a passing boat, are the causes of the damage.
District officials say they could see the water level rising and lowering in the inlet every few minutes for an hour and a half after the tsunami occurred.
"We think it dislodged the line from its anchorage in the bottom of the inlet and what would have happened then is it would have floated up to the surface, and that's where the tug would have impacted it," said Duane Lawrence, chief administrative officer with the District of Ucluelet on Wednesday.
As repairs are underway, bottled water is being trucked into the community. A local motel is also offering shower services.
"Much gratitude is extended to the West Coast Motel and their staff," said an update from the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ government Tuesday.
The District of Ucluelet and an industrial dive team have been working to repair the damaged water main.
The damaged section of the water main must be floated out of the water, inspected, repaired, then reattached underwater, says the municipality.
On Tuesday, the district said about 300 metres of line was cut and brought onshore for inspection.
"Work on the damaged water line is progressing well and our public works team is moving quickly to re-establish this critical line back to service and re-supplying water to Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ," said the district in an update Tuesday.
Both the district and Ucluelet First Nation say there's no timeline for when residents can use water again safely.
"In order for the state of emergency to be lifted, the water system needs to be flushed and thorough testing must be done on the tap water to ensure it is safe for consumption," said the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ government in an update Tuesday.
"This process will take some time," reads the update. "As more information is gathered, further updates will be issued."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn’t over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball’s highest scorer Caitlin Clark’s first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
Grandparent scam suspects had ties to Italian organized crime, police allege
A group of suspects that allegedly defrauded seniors across Ontario and other parts of Canada using a so-called emergency grandparent scam appear to have ties to 'Italian traditional organized crime,' according to an investigator involved in the OPP-led probe.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Cat found on Toronto Pearson airport runway 3 days after going missing
Kevin the cat has been reunited with his family after enduring a harrowing three-day ordeal while lost at Toronto Pearson International Airport earlier this week.
N.L. gardening store revives 19th century seed-packing machine
Technology from the 19th century has been brought out of retirement at a Newfoundland gardening store, as staff look for all the help they can get to fill orders during a busy season.