While cost estimates won't be ready until next month, councillors will get a detailed report on the surge in the number of residents whose water pipes froze late last winter.
The city received about 1,500 calls from residents left without water so far in 2015, compared to 800 in 2014 and less than 400 in 2013.
Most calls came in February and March, and the city opened municipal facilities to affected residents where they could shower and get drinking water.
“Staff responded as effectively as possible under the circumstances, and worked tirelessly to minimize the impact on citizens,” the report said. “However, the event has brought to light that some city business processes could be modified to make it easier to respond to these types of unplanned weather emergencies.
“The purpose of this report is to provide the first in a series of public reports on the frozen water services event experienced during the winter of 2015. Additional reports are contemplated as more information becomes available.”
In addition to the spike in frozen pipes, the number of watermain breaks also have also soared in the first few months of 2015. More than 90 breaks have been reported so far this year, compared to less than 70 at the same time last year, and fewer than 60 in 2013.
The 10-year average of watermain breaks is 100 per year, the report says. But if breaks continue at their current pace, they could exceed 200 in 2015 alone.
