City crews are excavating outside 441 Columbia Street in Kamloops on Feb. 8, 2019, after a water main break left Glenfair Estates and some government buildings without water.

(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - A City of Kamloops water main broke last evening downtown, reportedly due to recent cold temperatures.

The water main broke at about 5 p.m. yesterday, Feb. 6, at 4 Avenue and Columbia Street, according to a City of Kamloops media release. The city says the main belongs to them, although initially it was suspected to be privately owned, located under a sidewalk on the northeast corner of 441 Columbia St.

Columbia Street, 3 and 4 Avenues were affected with surges of water, the City says. City crews have been working on clearing the water and ice from these streets. 

"Crews have been having a difficult time getting down to the break," Greg Wightman, the city's utility manager, says in a phone interview. "Because of the amount of frost down in the ground there, it’s been making our excavation a little bit difficult."

Wightman says crews are still excavating down to the main, trying to find the break. That means the approximately 80 residents of Glenfair Estates, a seniors' housing complex, are without water. Some government offices such as FrontCounter B.C., and the Ministry of Transportation are also without water. Interior Health has reported that Ponderosa Lodge has experienced some water damage.

Drivers are advised to use caution when in the area, as well as on Greenstone Drive where a second water main break between Bestwick Court and Pyriamid Court that took place last night.

"(The second break) is a standard residential water main break," Wightman explains. "It’s something we deal with on a regular basis. Our crews will be out there and working on that one throughout the day."

Wightman says approximately 20 properties may be affected by the second water main break.

— This story was updated at 10:32 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8, 2019 to include new information from the city and a new photo.

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