Prince Rupert declared a local state of emergency Saturday, as city officials said in a new release that there were three breaks in local water mains and multiple service interruptions that started early that morning. Herb Pond, the city's mayor, says six of the city's major water pipes have burst in the past week. "We have a very old water system," he said in an interview. "Much of the pipes are well over 100 years old." Pond says the ground in the area is mostly rock and muskeg with very little soil,causing the pipes to shift and be more susceptible to damage, especially as they get older.
Lack of clean water in Nunavik means schools are closing, staff fleeing
Dozens of employees at primary and secondary schools in Nunavik are sounding the alarm about the region's deteriorating water supply, saying the situation is putting their students at risk, a union report seen by Radio-Canada shows. Thirteen of the 14 towns in Nunavik don't have an aqueduct or sewer system. People there normally rely on tanker trucks to supply drinking water and remove wastewater. But in recent months there have been supply interruptions because of broken infrastructure, a lack of trucks and a worker shortage, problems that were worsened by the pandemic and a harsh winter last year.