Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek announced on Tuesday that Calgary has officially moved down to Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions.
It comes after Calgary has been experiencing ongoing water supply issues that were triggered by a catastrophic failure in the Bearspaw south feeder main on June 5.
City officials delayed the move down from Stage 2 outdoor water restrictions on Monday, citing recent issues with intake pumps at both the Bearspaw and Glenmore water treatment plants.
On Tuesday afternoon, Gondek said those two pumps, along with some additional ventilation issues, have all been addressed, allowing for outdoor water restrictions to loosen further.
The City of Calgary provides an update on the June 5 water feeder main rupture that affected its treated water supply.
Managing the city’s water supply and demand continues to be a priority, says the city’s general manager of infrastructure services, Michael Thompson.
The mayor says the most significant change in the move to Stage 1 is for the use of sprinklers and in-ground sprinkling systems for longer periods.
Residents are now allowed to water using those methods for up to two hours per week, but still must follow the city’s watering schedule — even number addresses are permitted to water on Wednesday or Saturday, and odd number addresses are allowed to water Thursday or Sunday.
Now, up to two hours of watering with sprinklers and in-ground systems is allowed between these hours, according to the city’s website:
- 4 a.m. to 7 a.m.
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
“Just like in Stage 2, you can use a hose with a trigger nozzle at any time,” said Gondek.
Under Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions, the following water-related activities remain prohibited:
- Washing driveways and sidewalks.
- Washing vehicles in the driveway or street.
- Washing windows or exterior building surfaces, unless it’s done by a business licensed to do so.
- Filling fountains and decorative water features. Bird baths, however, are allowed.
On Monday, Calgary — and the surrounding areas that rely on its supply — used 639 million litres of water, down from the 648 million litres used on Sunday.
“We expect to see Calgarians continuing to use water to cool down,” said the mayor, adding that, on average, residents would use roughly 680 million litres on a typical hot summer day in July.
Beltline water main break affects hundreds of homes
City officials also addressed an additional water main break during Tuesday afternoon’s news conference at City Hall.
According to the city’s website, a water main break along 15th Avenue S.W. was affecting 500 homes and 10 businesses.
Crews were working on that break, and water wagons were deployed at Eighth Street and 15th Avenue S.W.
“While we do address two to three hundred water main breaks every year across the city, to have this water main break happen during this record-breaking heat wave is terrible news for those residents and businesses,” said Gondek.
“While Calgary is among the fewest breaks per kilometre of water mains compared to other Canadian cities, the water team did expect to see more breaks as the water system was being stabilized.”
Thompson and Gondek both mentioned that Bowness Road N.W. has now completely opened after a water main break in that area occurred Friday.
Thompson says the city is actively working on a long-term rehabilitation plan for the feeder main.
The results of the PipeDiver inspection are expected at the end of the month, and will be incorporated into the plan.