As reported in the Montreal Gazette, homes in Kirkland are once again being inspected for crossed pipes. It’s a problem with roots that reach back 40 years.

Most recently, an investigation of major intersections by Montreal inspectors detected fecal contamination, so 697 homes were inspected, with 29 homes left to visit. To date, seven homes were found to have crossed pipes.

“Some contamination is caused by people throwing dog (feces) into storm sewers,” Kirkland director general Joe Sanalitro said. “But to determine whether its dog or human waste, we have to inspect the pipes.”

Sanalitro said the city has tried to alert the public to the problem triggered by dog feces being dropped into sewers, but it continues to happen.

The subject of crossed pipes is a sensitive one, because of the cost incurred for repairs. Some residents think it is the city’s responsibility to check pipe connections when homes are built — be it now, back in the 1970s and for any future builds.

Sanalitro said the city inspects any repair work done after crossed pipes are detected. He said the city also inspects pipe connections when a homeowner installs a new bathroom.

The original problem occurred in the 1970s when plumbing errors were made during construction. If a sewage pipe is incorrectly connected to a storm pipe during the installation process, raw sewage ends up flowing into Lake St-Louis.

Sanalitro said the situation has become complicated over the years because plumbing codes have changed a number of times, which can lead to confusion and errors being made during the installation process. He said the diameter of a sewage pipe and a storm pipe used to be different, making it easier to identify which was which. Now they are the same diameter. One pipe was supposed to be installed on the left, the other on the right. Then the order was reversed.

Keep reading in the Montreal Gazette