The City of Calgary’s director of water services, Nancy Mackay, says the city is responding to slightly more water main breaks than usual in the aftermath of the June 5 Bearspaw south feeder main rupture.
“The number of main breaks we are responding to is a little bit higher right now than we’d normally see,” Mackay said Saturday during a regular afternoon update on the ongoing water supply crisis.
It comes after a different water main on Bowness Road N.W. ruptured late Friday afternoon, triggering road closures.
According to the city’s website, 14 homes and 10 businesses were affected by the water service disruption as of Saturday morning, but repair work is in progress. That work is anticipated to take about 48 hours.
Mackay said on Saturday afternoon that water wagons have been placed on site for those in the affected area.
The rupture was not on the feeder main itself, nor was it impacting the flow of water through the feeder main, according to a news release the City of Calgary issued Friday evening.
“The break is located on a much smaller, 10-inch cast iron pipe that we have confirmed is not directly connected to the Bearspaw south feeder main,” the release says.
City officials provide update on the June 5 water feeder main rupture that affected Calgary’s treated water supply.
During Saturday’s update, Mackay confirmed that the impacted area of Bowness Road N.W. remains closed until it is safe to reopen.
“Water main breaks of this size are not unusual,” said Mackay, adding that Calgary’s water system is composed of roughly 15,000 kilometres of underground pipes.
However, she said the increase in water main breaks could be related to the original feeder main rupture that occurred in early June.
Mackay says when the Bearspaw south feeder main ruptured, the city needed to distribute drinking water through its system in different ways.
Then once the feeder main was brought back online, there were changes made to the direction of water and flow pressure increased in different areas.
“When changes like these are made, it is normal to experience a few additional breaks in pipes. We have teams ready to respond 24/7,” said Mackay.
She says the city continues to make adjustments as work to stabilize Calgary’s water system continues.
“We anticipate that we may see a few additional breaks as the system responds to the changes that we have been making to restore water flow.”
Stage 1 decision expected Monday
Mackay also said that a decision on moving down to Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions will come on Monday.
The city eased outdoor water restrictions again earlier this week, moving from Stage 3 to Stage 2.
Under Stage 2 restrictions, residents are allowed to water gardens and lawns — though not without some limitations.
Soaker hoses and in-ground sprinkling systems are allowed to be used for up to one hour only per week. Residents are also permitted to only water on certain days, depending on their address or, in the case of multi-unit buildings, their unit number.
The city remains under Stage 2 outdoor water restrictions as crews monitor how the water system responds to the easing of water conservation measures following the June 5 rupture in the Bearspaw south feeder main.
The City of Calgary took another step toward a fully functioning water system, as Mayor Jyoti Gondek announced the move to Stage 2 outdoor water restrictions. Under this stage, sprinklers and hoses can be used, but with some restrictions. Residents are asked to stick to one hour of sprinkler use per week during set days and times.
Calgary’s water usage climbed to 612 million litres of water on Friday. Mackay says water usage is in line with the city’s forecast for water use as outdoor restrictions eased and hot conditions prevailed.