In Nordegg lately, it seems like if it’s not one thing, it’s another.
In the last two months, the community has coped with fires, floods and leaking water pipes.
Clearwater County crews were still on scene Friday after two water leaks were detected in an old section of the hamlet’s water system the previous day. It was shut down overnight Thursday so as not to drain the reservoir, said Ron Leaf, county chief administrative officer.
Two small “weeping” leaks have been located but water is still leaking.
“We’ve narrowed it down to a 100-metre section,” said Leaf on Friday afternoon. “We’re continuing to work. We’ll work until dusk if it is not repaired by that time.
“But we have not interrupted service.”
The county has been hauling water to the reservoir to compensate for the leak as best as possible.
“We’ve been able to maintain water in the reservoir. So we’re not in the place where we’re concerned about having to implement a boil-water advisory or anything like that,” he said.
The problem is much smaller than the full rupture that occurred in a water line on April 19 that left residents without potable water for over a week. County staff delivered five-gallon jugs of drinking water to residents and two portable fresh water stations were set up so residents could fill water jugs until the water was restored eight days later.
Shortly after that, a wildfire led to a forced evacuation of Nordegg for six days just prior to the May long weekend.
An upgrade was underway on the main service road through Nordegg just prior to the June flooding and the road is still under repair. A portion of road to the Nordegg mine site was also washed away.
Leaf said staff are working to fix the latest problem as quickly as possible.
“From a staff standpoint we’re obviously extremely sensitive to disrupting service any more than is necessary. We’re doing what we can to mitigate the impact on businesses,” he said.
“(In) that community, 2013 is truly living up the last two digits in the year,” he said, referring to 13’s unlucky reputation.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com