City says water main break may lead to discoloured water, Main St reopened

A water main break on Main Street Friday afternoon may lead to discoloured water for some residents.

A water main break on Main Street that caused flooding and major traffic delays could lead to discoloured water for some residents.

The city is asking residents in north Winnipeg to check their taps before using water for any purposes such as drinking, preparing food or drinks, or laundry.

This comes after crews installing a new underground pipe at the North End Wastewater Treatment Plant damaged a water main around 3 p.m. Friday.

Main Street was closed in both directions between Seaforth Avenue and Chief Peguis Trail. In an update Saturday morning, the city said the road in both directions at the site of the North End Wastewater Treatment Plant has reopened late Friday evening after slush and ice were removed from the area.

“We continue to work on remediating the impacts of the watermain break and roadway flooding,” the city said in an update Friday evening.

The city says residents should turn on their cold tap and let it run for a few minutes to check if there is any discolouring in the water.

It warned residents not to use the hot water tap as it could draw sediment into the hot water tank.

If the water isn’t clear, the city said residents should turn off their taps and check again in 30 minutes.

Around 10 p.m. Friday, the city said crews had stopped the water from flowing. Officials say it may take several days to determine exactly how the accident occurred.