Huron County council has approved a plan to spend $1.7 million to replace the sprinkler systems in the Huronlea and Huronview Seniors Homes.
County CAO Meighan Wark said an inspection of the system at Huronlea in Brussels for leaking revealed that sediment was trapped in several parts of the pipes that would have eventually prevented any water from getting through them.
Further inspection revealed the same problem existed at Huronview near Clinton.
Wark said their understanding is that the pipes were not installed properly, more than twenty years ago, so they didn't drain properly and the sediment was allowed to collect in the pipes.
"Originally we had anticipated that there might be some pockets that would need to be dealt with, but when they went in and took a look at the entire system, identified that it was widespread so it was going to have to be almost an entire refurbishment," she said.
Wark said the staff is looking into what recourse they might have against the company that installed the pipes more than twenty years ago, but they're also putting a plan in place to make sure it doesn't happen again.
