Water leak forces closure of 13th Avenue

Some residents near Regina’s General Hospital got a rude awakening Thursday.

A water leak forced the City of Regina to close 13th Avenue in the area of St. John and Ottawa streets. Some roads around the General Hospital were flooded, including Victoria Avenue.

“I woke up and thought, ‘What the dickens is going on?’ ” said Jutta Toth, who lives in the area. “I looked out the window and, hello there, we were flooding.”

Another resident of the area also was caught off-guard by the sudden rush of water.

“From sitting on my couch, I heard it leaking in through one of my windows,” said the man, who declined to give his name. “It was kind of a surprise. I look out the window and it’s a giant lake out here.”

The City of Regina dispatched crews to the area to repair the break. In a media release, the city said the General Hospital still had water service, but repairs were needed in the area.

“13th Avenue between St. John Street and Ottawa Street will be closed for one day while crews work to repair the break,” the release said. “The city’s highest priority is to ensure the quality of our water and the safety of our residents.”

Toth said there were a few people who tempted fate after the water started flowing.

“(Motorists) who went through (the standing water) and got it into the ignition were kind of sorry for it after,” she said, “but after one got stuck, the other ones got smart and turned around.”