The Halifax Regional Municipality is hoping some new weapons in the war on potholes will help them catch up after a winter that left streets pockmarked.

So far this year, 12,132 potholes have been repaired. There are still 1,251 that need filling and the cold weather is coming quickly.

The city had to hire contractors to help with the work and so far has spent $829,000. In an average year, the budget is $700,000. Last year the Halifax Regional Municipality managed to get all 7,118 potholes filled, but this year produced a bumper crop.

That's why the city has rented two "aggregate spray pothole patchers."

The machines spray hot tar and gravel into the pothole and then presses down on the patch.

On mobile? Click here to see how the pothole spray works

City works officials hope the rental will help crews stay on top of the road repair list. Halifax superintendent of streets and roads, Don Pellerine, wants the new gear to finish off the current list and keep a handle on the next batch of potholes.

"If we get a lot of the freeze-thaw that we had last winter we'll probably see a similar result in the spring," he said.

Pellerine said the method has been used elsewhere and has a very low failure rate.

"The city of Ottawa has just recently entered into a trial arrangement. The cities in Barrie, Ontario and the Durham region also have them and I know the province of Quebec has one as well," he said.

For now Halifax plans to rent the machines. Pellerine says renting will give works crews the best chance to see what the machines can do, especially in cold weather.

Don Pellerine with the city of Halifax says for now Halifax plans to rent the machines with the first expected in early November. (CBC)

"We want to do it through a trial period first for this coming winter," he said.

"No. 1, to see if the product will withstand our winter. Our wet winters can sometimes work against us when we're trying to do permanent pothole repairs."

Pellerine said ideally, they would like to move toward a more permanent solution to repair potholes so they don’t return to the same areas year after year.

If it's successful, purchasing some aggregate spray pothole patchers for the city may be considered, but it wouldn't necessarily be a long-term solution.

"Sometimes you have to look at the technology,” he said. "Technology sometimes in these specialized pieces of equipment changes very quickly, so sometimes if you buy something, in two years it can be obsolete."

The first machine will be delivered in early November.