Compensation OK'd for Winnipeggers impacted by brown water

Winnipeg city council has approved a motion to compensate people whose laundry was damaged by brown water.

Every earlier claim that had been filed... had been rejected by the city.

• Winnipeggers may get bill break for brown water, says mayor
• City should pay dirty water laundry claims, says councillor
• Winnipegs brown water worst in 40 years, expert says

"Brown water reimbursement motion approved...no more rubber stamp denials!" Coun. Dan Vandal posted on Twitter.

Since mid-August, the City of Winnipeg's 311 phone service has received 6,857 calls from residents regarding brown water.

Thecity has also received 83 brown-water related claims, including 57 for damaged laundry. Others included requests for reimbursement for things like bottled water purchases.

None of the claims wereawarded because of the city charter, which statesthe water has to be undrinkable before the city will pay out any claims for damage to laundry.

Tests have approved the water as potable but officials aren't sure yet what's causing it to bebrown.

Some councillors argued the city should change the charter in fairness to the people they represent.

Last week, Vandal at a meeting of the executive policy committee, asked the city's claims department to do "all things necessary to reimburse legitimate laundry damage."

The request went to administration for a report, which then went to council for its vote on Wednesday.