Bay Roberts council orders property owners to fix their water leaks or else

By Craig Westcott

With the annual freeze and thaw cycle in full swing, Bay Roberts council is ordering private property owners to fix the water leaks on their premises to stop the water from running onto public streets.
Council discussed the issue at its last private meeting, and Mayor Walter Yetman called on councillor Perry Bowering, who is the Town’s lead councillor on public works issues, to give a recap of the discussion at Tuesday’s public meeting.
“We’ve got three or four bad water leaks around (town), and I know for a fact that one of them has been going on for five or six years,” said Bowering. “What we’re looking at is when the weather is suitable to put a timeline on it and get this fixed, it’s going on long enough.”
Bowering said the leaks are wasting taxpayers’ money because the water is just being spilled out over the ground.
“Either they’re going to fix it, or we’re going to fix it and send them the bill, that’s the gist of it,” said the councillor.
Yetman asked Bowering to confirm that a deadline of March 31 has been set for the property owners to fix the leaks or face having their water supply turned off.
Bowering confirmed that is so.
Each of the property owners will be contacted by the Town to inform them of council’s decision and the order to act by the end of this month.
“If the residents have any issues with getting the leaks repaired, they should contact the office,” said Yetman.
The four properties affected are located on Water Street, Country Road, Neck Road and Goose Pond Hill.
Meanwhile, councillor Dean Franey asked staff if they can check on another leak, this one near the intersection of Mosdell’s Lane and Water Street.
“Can we check to see if that’s Town water?” Franey asked. “I really noticed it the other day when I came down and it was freezing. When you make the turn, you’re going right out onto the ice… It’s a spot where we may have to look at something to stop the water. The water going out there is going to undermine the road, and it creates icy conditions… It could be a water leak. I don’t know of any springs up in that area.”