SUNDRE — Although extremely cold conditions that recently saw temperatures temporarily plummeting down into the range of -40 C with the windchill factor — briefly earning the region the dubious distinction of being among the most frigid places on the planet — haven’t caused a plague of problems for the municipality’s public works crew, residents and business owners are nevertheless advised to take preventative steps to avoid potential freeze-ups.
“We had a few calls through the holidays,” Jim Hall, Sundre’s manager of operations, said on Wednesday, Dec. 29, adding there had been a couple instances of pipes that broke due to the frost, including a commercial property that at the time was closed and vacant.
“We’ve had a couple of sewers freeze up,” he said. “But that’s just inherent if you’re not flushing enough.”
The public works crew will in such situations first check the municipality’s mains to ensure there are no problems with the infrastructure, then proceed to help put the property’s owner in contact with a plumber, he said.
“When it’s cold like this, make sure that you’re using your facilities,” he said, also recommending residents have a plumber they trust ready to call up on speed dial just in case.
Aside from suggestions such as running the dishwasher overnight, flushing regularly, and perhaps even leaving a tap running lightly while people sleep to ensure continued flow so they can shower in the morning, Hall also cautions against allowing FOG — fats, oils and greases — to build up in the pipes.
While the municipality’s large mains tend to work really well, he said a build-up of fats, oils and greases in a home’s pipes can become problematic and freeze off during times of extreme cold, resulting in a potentially hefty plumber’s bill to clear out the lines.
That situation can largely be avoided simply by either placing an affordable screen in the kitchen sink, or perhaps considering a somewhat more costly installation of a garburator if there isn’t already one in place.
Additionally, especially during the winter, Hall advises people not to overload their toilets with the three P’s — pee, poop and toilet paper. Wet wipes, which don’t typically break down, should never be flushed.
Lines are specifically engineered at a slow grade, because at too steep a slope, the solids tend to end up staying in place while the water washes away, he said.
“They’re very well designed to slowly flow out with the solids into the main. But if you start putting stuff down there, like anything from food grease, it’ll build up and cause some issues if it gets cold.”
A hair trap in the tub or shower is also recommended for people with long locks, as the slow but steady build-up of hair over time will eventually start to catch other debris inevitably resulting in a blockage, he said.
Roads and gas lines
As people turn up their furnaces to fight off the cold, they should check to see there are no hiccups, he said.
“If you haven’t taken care of your furnace in the fall prior to the season, just make sure that you’re cognizant that it’s working fine,” he said. “The Town of Sundre operates the gas system, but we are not accredited to work on appliances.”
However, public works will still provide assistance connecting residents with a tradesperson to resolve any issues as they arise, he said, adding anyone who is experiencing an emergency can call 403-638-7350.
“We’ll always accept a phone call if somebody’s down and out with their furnace. We’ll try and help them find a plumber,” he said. “We don’t necessarily fix the problem, but we’ll try and help you find somebody that can help you out.”
As the municipality runs its own gas distribution system, public works must also keep a close eye on its Regulating Metering and Odouring (RMO) station, which is located on the north side of Highway 27 across the road and a little to the west from the town office. A line heater had failed as a result of the cold weather, but public works was able to get it restarted, he said.
“So, we’re still in good shape there," he said.
The RMO station meters the gas for sales and also regulates the pressure from the supplier, TransCanada, he said, adding the flow is reduced to 35 pounds per square inch from 700.
As for streets, he said the extreme cold created some challenges.
“We’re kind of struggling with the cold temperatures. Our sand doesn’t stick to the icy sections,” he said. “We still sand, but any kind of wind or vehicles spinning their tires to get going, kind of blows it off.”
That comes with the territory when temperatures drop down to the range of below 30C, he said.
“The sand just cannot bite into the ice," he said.
But the town’s roads operator conducts daily checks and was sanding streets throughout the holidays, trying to provide some traction on the intersections to help motorists stop safely and get going, he said.
“We haven’t had a ton of snow. So, that’s been good for the guys, not having to come in at 3 o’clock in the morning," he said.
Sidewalks have also been kept in decent condition despite a temporary delay due to a piece of equipment that broke down, but the crew has been catching up to clear priority sidewalks and paths “so pedestrians can get out and walk in this frigid, beautiful sunny day,” he said.
Although staff are not physically getting out there to shovel snow, public works closely monitors the municipality’s facilities and major infrastructure, he said.
“It’s always busy this time of year,” he said. “It keeps us hopping.”
