“It doesn't make sense”: A family has been forced to live without hot water since Hurricane Debbie

A couple and an elderly man had to live without hot water for two weeks because their supplier kept putting off replacing their water heater, which broke during Storm Debbie.

“We don't need more than that, the whole basement needs to be removed. We face all the emotions,” laments Isabelle Corby, who lives with her partner Etienne Lavoie and her mother in a house in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield in Monterrey.

Their home flooded during Hurricane Debbie on August 9, when their water heater, rented from HydroSolution, broke. Although the company has several procedures to replace it, they still have to wait after two weeks.

In the meantime, to take a single bath, the water should be heated on the stove for about forty minutes.

However, M's mother^me Corby, who lives there, is 75 and has to wash herself with a washcloth, as she usually has to sit on a chair to shower.

“I feel inhumane. To make someone wait two weeks without hot water is surreal to me,” said M.^me Carby.

Like a “mad house”.

The couple said they notified Hydro Solutions on Sunday, August 11, that they needed a water heater replacement.

The following Tuesday, more repairmen showed up. “There is nothing they can do. We don't need that,” asserted Mr. Lavoie.

The couple waited until Friday, when they contacted the company with no word on a replacement date. “They told us they didn't see us on their list. It's not done. I'm not happy,” Mr. Lavoie said.

So the next meeting is fixed for next Friday, August 23rd. However, the hydro solution was nowhere to be found while Mr. Lavoie waited at home.

“They called my partner, but she was at work. So she couldn't answer. Because she didn't respond, they didn't come!”

To the great dismay of the family, who likened their experience to Asterix's “madhouse”, the replacement was postponed until next Tuesday.

Patience is running out

“We were drowned in floods, they knew that. We told them from the beginning. I told them there was an old man in my house,” said M.^me Carby.

“Every time we call, we are told there is flooding, they are busy and sorry. It doesn't make any sense. I think we are patient,” Mr. Lavoie said.

On Sunday, HydroSolution was unable to respond when contacted Newspaper.

– With Clara Loiseau.