Ground shifting caused by a sudden drop in temperature over the weekend triggered nine water main breaks across Saskatoon between Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
Lack of running water forced cancellation of classes at Caswell School, which will also remain closed today.
City Hospital — which receives water from three water main lines, including one that broke Monday night — issued a precautionary boil water advisory because of a drop in its water pressure.
City staff delivered door hangers to people living in affected buildings, including nine downtown apartment complexes, informing them of the breaks.
As of Tuesday morning, water trailers were available to provide drinking water to people who would be without water for more than 24 hours, and city-owned leisure centres opened their changing facilities so people in affected areas could shower for free if they presented identification confirming their addresses.
Munro said it costs about $12,000 to fix each water main.
Traffic on 25th Street was snarled on Tuesday morning and road restrictions may last until Thursday morning.
Munro said this week marked the first time the 47-year old pipe has failed.
Although Saskatoon frequently experiences significant temperature swings, there’s little the city could have done to prevent this week’s mass water main breaks, Munro said.
It would be very, very costly, making the water difficult for people to afford.