City of Calgary officials will provide an update on the status of the Bearspaw feeder main Monday at 2 p.m.
Since Wednesday, July 24, the city says it detected three additional wire snaps along the key pipe on Thursday and another on Friday. No new wire snaps were detected on Saturday.
The city monitors the coils that wrap around the feeder main, which help strengthen it, for wire snaps. While these snaps do not indicate the pipe will break, officials note it is a way of determining how much stress is on the pipe.
City of Calgary water services director Nancy Mackay said in a Saturday afternoon update the city received the initial results of the PipeDiver inspection late Friday night, and it will take days to analyze the data. Calgary is actively working on a long-term rehabilitation plan for the feeder main and the inspection data will be incorporated into it.
“While this analysis continues, and in light of the wire snaps on Thursday and Friday, we are leaving Stage 1 water restrictions in place,” Mackay said on Sunday.
The City of Calgary turned on an additional pump at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant on Wednesday, further increasing water flow to the pipe.
Officials have previously said monitoring how the feeder main holds up with increased water pressure from the pump will inform their decision about whether to lift water restrictions further.
Calgary has been experiencing ongoing water supply issues that were triggered by a catastrophic failure in the Bearspaw south feeder main on June 5.
On Tuesday, July 23, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek announced the move down from Stage 2 to Stage 1 outdoor water use restrictions.
Under Stage 1 restrictions, the use of sprinklers and in-ground sprinkling systems are permitted for two hours per week.
Residents are allowed to water using those methods, but 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.
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.
Watering using a hose with a trigger nozzle is allowed at any time, according to the city.
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.