Main Street reopens after flooding from water main break

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This article was published 12/12/2025 (247 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Main Street near Chief Peguis Trail has reopened after a water main break Friday afternoon sent a massive amount of water onto the street.

Main Street was closed from Seaforth Avenue to Chief Peguis Trail after water overflowed the curbs and the median boulevard around 3 p.m. The city said around 10 p.m. that crews had stopped the flow of water and that they were working to remove it from the roads.

The city reopened north- and southbound lanes on Main Street just before midnight on Friday.

By Saturday morning, two of the three northbound lanes were open to traffic, with the curb lane remaining closed because of the water main break and ongoing work by crews and heavy machinery. In the southbound direction, two of the three lanes were closed in two separate sections near the Winnipeg Water Pollution Control Plant.

Icy and uneven road conditions slowed traffic through the area.

An employee at Friends Funeral Service said staff captured several videos of the surging water but noted that, fortunately, the incident did not disrupt any services.

In a statement, the city said crews installing new underground piping at the Main Street sewage treatment plant, which is undergoing a years-long overhaul, damaged the water main.

The break prompted a change in water flow that might stir up sediment in pipes and cause coloured water, the city said.

“For this reason, we are advising residents in north Winnipeg to check for discoloured water before using their water for any purposes that require clean water, such as for drinking, preparing food and beverages, or laundry,” the city said in a release.

To check for discoloured water:

— Turn on a cold water tap and let the water run for a few minutes. It is best to use a bathtub tap as there is no screen to trap any sediment. The water can be collected and used to water plants

— Do not use a hot water tap because it could draw sediment into the hot water tank

— Catch some water in a light-coloured cup. If the water isn’t clear, turn off the tap, wait 30 minutes and try again.