Burst Vancouver sewage pipe still not repaired after 27 days

Nearly a month after a sewage leak near Science World, the pipe that burst still hasn't been repaired.

The pipe broke on Terminal Avenue on June 22, shutting down the road between Quebec and Main streets eastbound.

Municipal officials, however, say they still don’t know what caused the break. In the last 10 years, there have only been three such failures according to the city's manager of engineering services.

Currently, a custom-made bypass pipe is being designed and installed so the sewage won’t have to travel through the broken pipe.

"Right now the time is being spent on the design of the bypass and the source of the parts.," LaClaire said.

But the bypass pipe will only be temporary. Once sewage has been diverted out of the broken pipe, LaClaire says the investigation into the failure can begin.

“It could be the pipe connection, it could be a manufacturing error from the company itself, it could be a combination of ground water, sediment and the dynamics of this area,” he said, adding that the tide impacts area sewage levels.

This leak happened just a few blocks away from one that happened in Olympic Village in May. Between six and eight inches of sewage spilled onto the streets and spewed into False Creek.

LaClaire says he’s not sure if the two are connected.

"Everyone is kind of curious about that," he told CTV News.

"The fact that they happened within close proximity in location and time is also unusual."

Both of the pipes are only 25 years old, he says. The typical life span is 100 years.

Once the temporary bypass is installed next week, a lot of the equipment will be removed. But until the permanent pipe is installed, there will still be road closures along with the repair noise.