Friday, July 12, 2019 ~ LANGFORD [Updated July 14, 2019]
~ West Shore Voice News
Like a bad rash, it has happened again very close to the same spot. A water main break in Langford yesterday morning (July 11) morning is a smaller repeat of a February watermain break on Strathmore Road in central Langford (just off Goldstream Avenue) in town centre.
This time three homes were left flooded (with water depth inside reaching about 2 ft, according to homeowners), including one that was also heavily damaged during another water main break back in February. Back on February 19 over 25 homes were damaged that night by the water flowing for over half an hour from a broken CRD watermain.
There was no apparent reason for the watermain break back in February (considered to likely be due to the longstanding age of the cement piping infrastructure), but the one this week is related to digging as part of installing a storm drain by Victoria Contracting & Municipal Maintenance Corporation, the City of Langford was reported as stating.
The water was set to come back on to the homes later Thursday.
Repairs to the basement of the home that was also damaged on February 19 at the intersection of Goldstream and Strathmore were completed just last week.
Back in February the City of Langford was suitably proud to have helped out local residents if they had nowhere to stay or their belongings were ruined by the flooding and they needed a leg up to get to work or find another place to live. It was generally seen as the compassionate and appropriate thing to do if people were stuck for options, especially if they didn’t have household or contents insurance.
The impact of two watermain breaks for one family in the space of five months highlights the cost being borne by residents by residents for actions of (in this case the regional) government. Reportedly their insurance deductible has been $2,500 each time.
But just last week, The Capital Regional District’s (CRD) Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission (which oversees water supply services to the west shore communities) at their July 2, 2019 meeting passed a motion to effectively end the idea of issuing financial assistance to affected homeowners in situations like this, and putting the onus on individual property owners to have insurance coverage…. which CRD Senior Manager of Corporate Communications Andy Orr points out is in line with provincial legislation.
The motion read — which Langford Councillor Lillian Szpak says passed unanimously: That the Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission direct staff to not further examine options to provide financial assistance for property damage resulting from a failure, breakdown or malfunction.
The Juan de Fuca Water Distribution Commission is chaired by Colwood Councillor Gordie Logan and Vice-Chair is View Royal Councillor John Rogers. Two City of Langford councillors sit on the committee — Lillian Szpak and Roger Wade (Councillor Norma Stewart sat in for Roger Wade at the July 2 meeting). Other committee members are District of Highlands Councillor Gord Baird, Juan de Fuca Electoral Area Director Mike Hicks, and District of Metchosin Councillor Kyara Kahakauwila.