Water use in Calgary down for second day, but still above target

Water use in Calgary amid repairs to a major pipeline is trending in the right direction, but still above the desired threshold, the city says.

Updated city data shows Calgarians used 494 million litres of water on Wednesday, down slightly from Tuesday’s 497 million litres, and a significant improvement from Monday’s 530 million litres.

But, it’s still not enough.

City officials have repeatedly asserted the need to conserve water by 25 per cent.

Typical use for the city is 600 million litres, meaning the “safe” threshold during construction time is 450 million litres.

During repairs, the feeder main is out of service and most of the city’s water is taken from the Glenmore Reservoir, which has a lower water capacity.

Using more than the targeted water amount could mean the reservoirs run dry, city officials previously said, leading to an extended boil water advisory.

Stage 4 water restrictions returned on Monday, which entirely bans outdoor use of potable water like sprinklers and hoses.

Restrictions are expected to last until Sept. 23.

An update from city officials is expected at 2 p.m.

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