Winnipeg opens 2nd frozen pipes resource centre

The City of Winnipeg has opened its second resource centre for residents dealing with frozen pipes, as the list of home and business owners without running water grows by 48.

The new Frozen Pipe Citizen Resource Centre opened on Tuesday inside the Fort Rouge Leisure Centre at 625 Osborne St.

The city opened a similar facility at the Cindy Klassen Recreation Complex over the weekend.

The resource centres offer drinking water, snacks, shower facilities and information about frozen pipes to residents who have lost access to city water services.

• FULL COVERAGE:Winnipeg's water crisis
• CHAT REPLAY:City official answers questions on frozen pipes

As of Tuesday afternoon, 1,278 properties are on the waiting list for pipe-thawing, according to the city's website. That's up from 1,230 on Monday.

Another 6,312 properties have been identified by the city as being at risk of having frozen pipes, with staff trying to contact 865 property owners who were added to the list on Monday.

You can check if your home or business is at risk by checking the electronic Citizens' Information Service on the City of Winnipeg's website.

Meanwhile, city officials showed reporters how crews thaw pipes on Tuesday afternoon outside a home on Pritchard Avenue.

CAA Manitoba getting pipes thawed

As of Tuesday, 736 properties have had their water services restored, according to the city.

Staff at CAA Manitoba were hoping to have water by the end of the day aswhen a private crewbeganthawing the frozen pipeat its headquarters on Empress Street, which had been without water for five weeks.

By by mid afternoon that joy was tempered when it was discovered the frozen pipe was under Empress Steet, The city will now have to complete the thaw.

Spokesperson Liz Peters said staff have been muddling through in the past five weeks, in part by going to nearby buildings that do have running water.

"Wehave a little bit of a 50/50 pool going on, actually, in the office as to when the water would be back on," she added.

"Half the proceeds are going to one of our charities of choice, and the other half will go to the winner."