The underground tunnels at Carleton have been leaking, mainly around the Unicentre, after heavy rain and snowmelt April 8.
A large puddle formed around the tunnels connecting University Centre to the Architecture Building.
Kevin Gallinger, assistant director of maintenance services at Carleton, said the structure of the tunnels is fairly strong, but there are times when water finds its way through the foundation.
“The majority of places in the tunnels are sealed, but with time cracks do open up,” Gallinger said.
“Where the tunnels go under the road, the traffic on the road causes more movement, which can lead to more leaks,” he said. “But it doesn’t affect the structural integrity of the tunnels.”
Although he said the abundance of water caused by the heavy rain and rapid snowmelt may be factors, the specific ways of how the water leaked are unclear.
“Water can make its way inside buildings in many different ways, like cracks and doors,” he said.
Gallinger said he was surprised that the water had not been combated immediately, as routine cleaners scout the tunnels at night.
“It’s usually reacted on immediately,” he said.
Nancy Delcellier, assistant director of Carleton’s Environment Health and Safety (EHS) service area, said leaky tunnels are a hazard to students who use the tunnels to commute.
“There is a potential for a slip, trip, and fall with the leaky tunnels,” she said.
Delcellier said there are plans to make a cellphone app, called the Good Catch Program.
The platform would allow students to report hazards around campus to EHS and would prevent injuries from happening, she said.
“The more people we have that are aware of risk reduction, the more we’ll have students that are part of the solution that helps reduce risks on campus,” she said.
“What we want is people to be mindful of their surroundings,” she said.
