Yesterday afternoon a water main break in Cobden left residents without water and set the township back financially.

Public Works Manager Bill Misener brought the broken pipe to the Whitewater township office where council and township staff where at their monthly growth and development and waste management committee meetings.

Inspecting the damaged pipe, which was laying in the back of a township truck, Mayor Jim Labow said the emergency situation, “is going to cost us a lot of money today.”

The township has been waiting to hear from the Ministry of Transportation before the township ventured underground to replace the water main that runs under Highway 17.

“We got a grant a year or so ago to do the water line, but it was in conjunction with Highway 17,” said Mayor Labow.

The project is a joint venture between the ministry and the township. The township is replacing the water main and the ministry is providing the funding to repave the highway. However, the township has not received the green light from the ministry yet.

Looking at the pipe for the first time, Mayor Jim Labow said the township couldn’t afford to repave the road to specification once the township installed the new water main.

Town officials shut off the water between Cowley Street on Highway 17 (called Pembroke Street in the town), to 85 Pembroke Street for fear the leak would drain Cobden’s water reserves. The move left local residence without water.

Typically water main pipes break in the winter from thaws and heaves.

However, due to wear and tear on the pipe over the last 40 years, it cracked on Wednesday morning causing the town to deal with an emergency situation.

Mr. Misener explained the town replaced the broken piece of pipe.

The township is hoping to proceed with the project in the fall.

Cyndi Mills is a Daily Observer multimedia journalist

cyndi.mills@sunmedia.ca