At least 17 homes in Riverview are facing flooding after a water main break at Buckingham Avenue and Sussex Avenue.
Superintendent of Public Works Nathan Orr says around 6:30 this morning a water pipe split, and instead of the water going upwards, it went into the sanitary system.
That led to sewage flooding into people’s homes.
He says anyone with a backflow preventer installed should be okay, but anyone with flooding should call Public Works at 506-387-2030 and their insurance company.
Orr adds the the water is back on already, and repairs should be concluded by 5 o’clock.
In the meantime, any residents in the area experiencing discoloured or cloudy water should run cold water until it clears up.
Meanwhile, one homeowner is staring tens of thousands of dollars of damage in the face.
Her best friend, Kate Cogswell, came over to help her assess the damage, saying the sewage in the basement was “about knee deep” and included visible floating waste.
She adds they were quoted already “at least $25,000 worth of damage in the basement, and apparently we got less than other homes because downstairs [in the basement] there’s a new sump pump because of a rainwater issue a few months ago.”
Cogswell says the whole situation is far from ideal, but the silver lining for her is the way the Town of Riverview Public Works crews, the First On Site Emergency Restoration teams, and friends and neighbours rushed to help.
