Officials say the city is not responsible for damage caused to homes after a water main break caused flooding in the Weston area on the weekend.
Around 5 p.m. Sunday, water flooded basements and shut down several streets around the 1300 block of Notre Dame Avenue.
Chris Kipling says she first heard a cracking sound and then her husband came running through the front door of their home.
"He said clear the basement—we're (going to) flood…as soon as he said that, the water poured through the wall," she said.
Along with flooding basements, the water main break forced the evacuation of two homes and led to crews having to close westbound lanes on Notre Dame Avenue.
Water also poured into the nearby Dignity Transportation office but a sump pump and sewer drain helped.
"I've seen a couple of water main breaks in my time, but never with the volume of this one," said Phil Walding.
Crews worked in the bitter cold to find the source and repair the damage to city property for the source of the break and to repair the damage to city property.
Officials said that unfortunately for homeowners, there will be no compensation.
"The city isn't actually liable for damage or loss caused by a water main break -- only if they were found negligent in some way and that certainly wasn't the case here," said Terry Josephson from the Water and Waste Department.
The city says it's the same procedure in other jurisdictions across Canada. Although a pipe installed in 1907 is believed to have corroded and caused the water main break, officials say it couldn't have been prevented.
Chris Kipling, who does not have insurance, now has to figure out how to replace what she lost in her basement.
About 10 homes and two businesses were without water following the break, but the water is expected to be turned back on Monday evening, said officials.
- with a report from CTV's Caroline Barghout
