Need to move Baird waterline ahead: Council

By Mike Thibodeau

Special/Leamington Post

After seeing a sample of water , and hearing from several residents, Leamington council has agreed it has to move the rebuilding schedule up for a new waterline on Baird Ave.

"I wouldn't drink that water," was the comment from Councillor Larry Verbeke on a sample of water exhibited by Baird Ave. resident John Biekx at last week's council meeting.

Biekx had appeared at a previous meeting of council complaining of water quality in the Baird area. And the sample he held was brownish liquid that he says stains all of the household appliances, from sinks to bathtubs.

Community services director Rob Sharon acknowledged the problem is the old cast iron watermains in the Baird area, but the replacement schedule for that streets is not until 2015. The cost is estimated at just over $115,000 and is included in a schedule of watermain rebuilding at about $1.0 million a year over five years.

For some time now, when the residents do complain water department staff simply flush out the watermains through the fire hydrants in the area.

Kit Woods, director of environmental services for the town, said he couldn't disagree with the views of the Baird residents, although he did say that residents in another area, Queens and Selkirk, have filed more complaints and another cast iron pipe on Wilkinson Dr. has broken five times in the recent months.

The question for councillor Rick Atkin was how to get the Baird pipeline project moved up from its present 2015 schedule.

"We've got to look at these priorities," he said, and noted that in 2013 the town has only scheduled about $600,000 in pipeline replacement in the five-year forecast.  To read more go to www.leamingtonpostandshopper.com.