Watermain breaks are more likely in the winter

Nov. 12, 2022 10:00 a.m.
​Flooding should be reported immediately to 905-832-2281

 

Winter will be here before you know it, and with it comes the possibility of more watermain breaks. Here’s what you need to know about watermain breaks, what to do if you see one and the steps the City of Vaughan takes to prevent them.

What are watermains?

Watermains are underground pipes that are a part of the City-owned local water distribution system and deliver safe and clean water to Vaughan residents and businesses.

Watermain breaks are more common in the winter months. Low temperatures can cause soil to freeze and expand resulting in frost and added pressure on the pipes, causing them to break. Other causes include:

  • corrosion over time on the outside surface of pipes, weakening them.
  • small leaks gradually wearing away the soil around watermains, potentially causing them to collapse.
  • older watermains being more susceptible to breaks.

What to do if you see a watermain break

If you see water ponding or flooding on roads or sidewalks that are unlikely to be caused by wet weather events, seasonal thawing, blocked catch basins or irrigation, it may be due to a watermain break. Please contact the City immediately by phone at 905-832-2281 and provide the exact location and any other details you know when reporting.

City’s preventative measures

The City continues to use innovative initiatives to help prevent watermain breaks – such as the Smart Hydrant pilot project. Smart Hydrants have real-time system monitoring, data storage and analytics to identify potential leaks within pipes and their locations. They send alerts to operations staff for follow-up actions in the field. Ultimately, this technology allows for proactive approaches to address watermain breaks in areas near Smart Hydrants and has helped determine why citizens may have a drop in water pressure.

There are many other benefits of Smart Hydrants:

  • Lower operating costs – fewer watermain breaks lead to a reduction in costly emergency repairs.
  • Less water loss – fewer watermain breaks and a reduction in leaks lead to less water loss.
  • Improvement in water services – fewer watermain breaks lead to fewer emergency shutdowns and minimize interruptions to water services.

The City is currently looking to expand Smart Hydrants to additional locations.

City staff also perform routine and proactive maintenance on watermains to improve pressure and flow. This work ensures the City’s continued commitment to superior service delivery and keeps the water infrastructure strong to extend its lifespan.

To learn more about the City’s water services, visit vaughan.ca/water.

For the latest updates, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.​

All News