Ucluelet water supply line damaged beyond repair, full replacement needed
A drinking water supply line that was damaged last week on the west coast of Vancouver Island is beyond repair and will have to be completely replaced, according to the District of Ucluelet, B.C.
The supply line, which runs across the Ucluelet Inlet to the Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet) First Nation, may have ruptured due to strong ocean currents following the Jan. 15 volcanic eruption near Tonga, according to the district.
"After careful assessment, it has become clear that the existing water supply line has been damaged beyond repair and will have to be completely replaced in order to ensure a successful and reliable water supply to Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ going forward," the district said in a statement Saturday.
"This obstacle has forced the team to consider every possible option."
Replacement parts were due to arrive on Monday, at which point district staff will try to repurpose an existing underwater line.
"Once installed, we will quickly be able to confirm the usability of the line," the district said.
"This is good news, as the submerged water line, once confirmed as usable, will provide a more reliable, secure, and possibly quicker source of clean drinking water to Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ."
A section of the affected water line is shown: (District of Ucluelet / Facebook)
The damaged line prompted a state of emergency declaration on the First Nation last week. The Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ government urged residents not to use their household water for anything other than flushing toilets.
Bottled water was trucked into the community last week, while a local motel was also offering showers for residents.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.