Sewer repairs underway in Vancouver’s Olympic Village after streets flooded

Emergency repairs to a sewer main in Vancouver’s Olympic Village are underway after streets were flooded Thursday morning.

Metro Vancouver said in a social media post that crews were on site at 2nd Avenue and Columbia Street. Traffic was impacted between 1st and 2nd avenues and laneways were also blocked off in the area.

“We’re assessing the situation and will provide more information throughout the day,” Metro Vancouver’s social media post said.

In an emailed statement to CTV News, the City of Vancouver’s engineering department said it was told about a suspected water main break in the area at about 5:30 a.m. City crews determined the matter involved Metro Vancouver infrastructure, but remain on standby to help as needed.

The city said road closures are in effect “due to health and environmental concerns,” adding Vancouver Coastal Health has been informed about the issue.

Water appeared to be emerging from multiple spots and a slight smell was evident in the area. Some pedestrians were seen tiptoeing through the water, while others turned around to use another route. 

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Shelley Moore