THUNDER BAY — A Thunder Bay man whose household water system developed multiple pinhole leaks last spring welcomes the $350 million class action lawsuit against the city that was announced Tuesday.
But Jack Roussel says the lawsuit won't bring immediate relief to anyone who's gone through the inconvenience and expense of making repairs to their home.
Nor will it help those who may have to deal with pinhole leaks in their copper water pipes this winter.
The Toronto law firm that's working on the lawsuit says it understands "thousands of properties" in the city have already experienced leaks.
The Thunder Bay Leaky Pipe Club Facebook page lists over 2,700 members.
Roussel hopes the lawsuit will spur the city to offer some form of assistance rather than going to court.
"This gives us leverage for the city to make a decision here," he said. "It gives them a motive to do something at last."
The city has never accepted responsibility for the water leaks.
The lawsuit alleges they were caused by the introduction of sodium hydroxide to the water treatment system, and notes that the city discontinued its use this year after receiving numerous reports about leaks.
Months later, pinholes in waterlines are still being reported.
Roussel, who lives in the Northwood area, said "It's crazy. Anytime you drive on James Street, or anywhere, you see people getting their service line repaired. And that's costing them $6,000 or $7,000."
He worries for homeowners who don't have ready access to money to pay for new water lines and repairs.
When the service line from the watermain to the house needs replacing, Roussel said, it can take two weeks or more to get the job done.
"They have to shut off the water, and tap off a neighbour's water. This time of year, the water freezes, so you've gotta have a heated line from the neighbour's house. This is going to keep on happening all winter."
Roussel calls the situation a disaster, saying "the city should 'man up' and fix the pipes."
Some city residents have noted that if the lawsuit succeeds, it could ultimately result in higher property taxes for everyone.
"It doesn't worry me," Roussel said. "They have $40 million for a soccerplex. That's something we don't need. It means they have $40 million to fix the pipes."
Roy O'Connor LLP, the law firm leading the class action, is being assisted by Erik Knutsen, a Queens University law professor and Harvard-trained lawyer who formerly lived and practised in Thunder Bay.
A court must certify any class action before it can proceed.
Attorney David O'Connor said Tuesday he hopes a judge will be appointed to oversee the case within the next six months.
O'Connor said community members have been voicing their concerns and looking for some response or action from the city, but "none was forthcoming," so a class action is probably "the best way to get the attention of the city."
City administration has declined to comment on the lawsuit so far.
The City of Thunder Bay is still dealing with a $375 million class action brought against it after a torrential rainstorm in 2012 overwhelmed the sewage treatment plant and caused flooding in numerous basements.
