Regina comes close to breaking all-time record for water main breaks

As Regina's water mains are under increased stress, so too is the all-time record for main breaks. It's intact, but barely.

Last month, Regina experienced 112 water main breaks, busting its record for the month of August and just three breaks shy ofthe all-time record for breaks in one month:115, set in September 2012.

An average August sees 20 water main breaks, and the previous record for August was 72.

The figures were released by Pat Wilson, the city's director of water works onFriday.

• Regina neighbourhoods left with dry taps as water main breaks continue

The high number of breaks is being attributed to the ground shiftbrought on by this summer'shot, dry weather. The phenomenon has also been responsible for pulling cables outof power meter boxes, causing several fires atRegina homes this summer.

Though the weather is expected to begin cooling down,more breaks may be yet to come.

"We are anticipating that the break season is going to continue," Wilson said.

He added the city has had between 60 and 65 active breaks running per day.

"We may see those numbers increase slightly," she said.

Every repair has cost the city $14,000 on average, according to Wilson. That means August's water main breaks may have cost the city more than $1.5 million.

Still, Wilson says the city should be in "reasonably good shape overall," in terms of itsbudget due to under-spending early in the year.

Despite the hot, dry weather, the amount of water used by residents in the city actually tapered off in the month of August.

"In Saskatchewan we tend to start to let our gardens brown off a little bit and we ease up on watering into August and September," Wilson said.

In July, the city was consuming somewhere around 135 million litres per day for a few days. Now, she said, Regina is consuming 110-120 million litres per day.

Consumption is still high, she said, but the city's water supply has more than enough to meet current demand.