Boil Water Advisories and Water Main Breaks: How to Navigate Them

Am I affected by an advisory?  

In Pointe-Claire, when there is a water main break, a water outage, or a boil water advisory in effect, the City notifies affected homes and businesses by delivering door hangers with instructions to follow.

At every key stage, or whenever instructions change, a new door hanger is delivered. For example, if you’re affected by a water main break, you might receive one notice at the start of the work when water service is interrupted, another when a boil water advisory is issued, and a final one when the advisory is lifted.

The City also posts notices on its website. Except in special cases, these updates are published and maintained during City Hall business hours only. Each notice includes details about the situation, affected addresses, any road closures required for the work, and what you need to do if you are impacted.

You can find these notices in the Notices and Alerts section of the website:

View current notices 

Are water main breaks more common at the end of winter?

You’re not wrong—sub-zero temperatures do affect underground infrastructure.

One of the main reasons water main breaks are more common in winter is rapid temperature fluctuation. These changes cause the ground to expand and contract, putting pressure on underground pipes, which can lead to breaks. This happens especially during seasonal transitions, between fall and winter or winter and spring, when temperature swings are more frequent.

Another reason February is a peak period: the ground reaches its maximum frost depth. With frost penetrating deeper and getting closer to the pipes, pressure increases. At the same time, colder temperatures make pipe materials more brittle and less resistant to thermal shock.

The age of the pipes also plays a role. Older pipes are more fragile and therefore more vulnerable to temperature changes.

All of these factors contribute to a higher likelihood of water main breaks toward the end of winter. That said, City crews are well aware of these conditions and are equipped to respond quickly and carry out repairs as efficiently as possible.