City of Calgary warns of water shortage — but is anyone listening?

After news that Calgary’s water supply crisis is set to continue through September as the city’s key water main undergoes more urgent repairs, officials are again asking people to use less. Water use restrictions came back into effect on Monday, but total water usage has yet to decrease to levels deemed acceptable by the city.

Officials warn that total water usage in Calgary — and the surrounding areas that rely on its supply, including Tsuut’ina, Strathmore, Chestermere and Airdrie — must be no more than 450 million litres, a 25-per-cent decrease from the daily average of 600 million litres. 

“If we do not reduce our water usage by 25 per cent and stay at that 450-million level, we will be in a lot of trouble. We will run out of water,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek during a press conference on Tuesday.

It’s the same target as the last time the feeder main was shut down, and it comes with many of the same warnings that taps will run dry, there won’t be adequate water for emergencies and the entire water system will fail, triggering an indefinite boil-water advisory.

Since the Bearspaw south feeder main ruptured in early June, the citywide treated water supply has had disruptions, and Calgarians have been inundated by water conservation messaging all summer, varying in degrees of severity. 

Now, as the city copes with another month of Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions — its most restrictive stage — some residents are feeling confused and frustrated by the city’s renewed demands to curb their water consumption.

Kwame Sarfo, who moved to Calgary two months ago, told CBC News earlier this week he was aware the feeder main had ruptured but was under the impression it had been repaired. He said he hasn’t seen much about it but had heard restrictions were coming back.

Sarfo said he thinks people should follow the rules for outdoor use, but he doesn’t believe his individual indoor water consumption will be affected.

“Some people partake in it, and then some people don’t really partake in it. I’m one of the people that really don’t partake, and I just use the water how I should, even though that kind of sounds bad,” said Sarfo. “I’m not really going to change. I’m just being completely honest. That’s my truth.”

Mandatory restrictions on water apply only to outdoor use, and non-compliance could result in fines of up to $3,000.

The city is nonetheless asking residents to voluntarily reduce their indoor consumption. Suggestions include:

• Limiting showers to three minutes or less.
• Running laundry and dishwashers only when full, and reducing the number of loads washed per week.
• Flushing toilets only when necessary.

CBC News asked the city if it would introduce restrictions for businesses — or if it even could enact mandatory indoor water restrictions — before Calgary’s water supply became so depleted that there would be no water left for emergencies. 

In response, a spokesperson for the water services department said the Water Utilities Bylaw addresses outdoor water use.

“A significant amount of water is used outdoors, and these restrictions can make a big impact in overall water demand,” read the emailed statement. “The bylaw does not address indoor use, but in this situation, as in June, we are also asking Calgarians to limit their use indoors in order to help us meet our target for sustainable demand.”

WATCH | How people feel about water restrictions: 

Calgarians are once again being asked to reduce water usage. Here’s how they feel about that

City officials are pleading with residents to cut back on the amount of water they use, as the Bearspaw feeder main undergoes additional repairs. It’s the second time this summer that Calgarians are being asked to limit their water use.

CBC News spoke with about a dozen people on Tuesday, with a few expressing negative sentiments around the city’s handling of the crisis. 

“I don’t feel comfortable because we need water every day,” said Rosalia Palma, a local restaurant owner. “You feel that you are not getting what you are giving in taxes.”

After many people thought it was over once the initial rupture spot was repaired, she’s concerned similar issues will persist. Palma feels the city’s communication hasn’t been transparent enough. 

“I don’t want these restrictions to take longer. I want them to be fixed quickly, right away. But I’m not sure that this will be done,” she said. “I don’t know if the mayor is really telling the truth to us.”

Still, Palma says she will follow the water restrictions and voluntarily make efforts to reduce her consumption. She calls the circumstances “extremely disappointing.”

“I think [people] feel exhausted because not having water for the needs that we have is not right.”

Calgary’s political landscape

One crisis communications expert said the apathy toward water conservation could be coming from a place of messaging burnout. 

John Larsen, principal of Zero Hour Strategy, a crisis communications and issues management consultancy, said pleas for water conservation from city officials might not be resonating with Calgarians who are already feeling disheartened by the current administration.

“I think people can be convinced otherwise, but it may need to be through different channels,” Larsen told CBC News on Wednesday. “This administration is going to need other voices, and it can’t just be the [general manager] of infrastructure.”

City council has struggled in opinion polls, while Gondek also faced a high-profile — albeit unsuccessful — recall petition. 

When it comes to the city’s communications on the water crisis, Larsen says there also needs to be a roadmap for Calgarians to be able to visualize the destination and the progress. 

“People who haven’t been conserving water up to now are certainly not going to start now. It’s almost the opposite of the expectation,” he said.

“Here’s the disjoint: if I’m going online to read the tips on how to conserve water, I’m already committed, right? If I don’t really see this as a big issue, I’m not even going to go online anyway, and I’m not going to get those tips.” 

Water use hasn’t hit the target

Since Stage 4 restrictions returned on Monday, the city has yet to even come close to the 450 million-litre mark.

Michael Thompson, general manager of infrastructure services for the City of Calgary, said education teams went door-knocking across Calgary communities on Thursday to ensure Calgarians are aware of the water restrictions. 

“To their amazement, they came across dozens of homes and businesses that had automatic irrigation systems running this morning. I cannot stress enough that we simply do not have the water available right now for people to water their lawns, gardens and plants using treated water,” Thompson said Thursday. 

“Despite it raining all day yesterday, our water consumption only dropped three million litres from the previous day’s use. Yesterday we used 494 million litres, not even one per cent less than the previous day’s total.”

The last time Stage 4 outdoor restrictions were in effect, the citywide daily water usage dipped below 450 million litres only six times for the month they were active, according to the city’s water consumption dashboard.

Earlier this summer, the city said if thresholds were routinely exceeded, there wouldn’t be enough water in the system for emergencies — a thought the mayor reiterated on Tuesday.

“If we do not stick to water reductions, we will run out of water. That’s a fact,” said Gondek.

“It will mean that firefighters cannot attend to emergencies without wondering whether the hydrant will turn on. We will be in dire straits if we do not start reducing our water usage now.”

‘Every drop literally does count’

With the threat looming large, one water infrastructure expert says the city’s communication requires further transparency in order to help people make sense of the more immediate consequences of using too much water.

“As soon as we don’t get the buy-in voluntarily means we’ve got to make other changes,” said Kerry Black, assistant professor and Canada Research Chair with the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering.

She believes the messaging around running out of water might not be resonating with Calgarians because it’s missing a step: mandates.

“There is a step between, ‘We don’t conserve enough water as a city,’ and, ‘The hydrants run dry,'” she said. “It’s a politically difficult step that requires hard decisions and will undoubtedly have pushback. But there is a step in between there.”

In response to the city’s messaging that taps would run dry, she believes there would be “no situation where that happens” because water safety is a matter of public health. She views restrictions on indoor water use, such as closing businesses like car washes or restaurants, as the missing piece. Using COVID-19-era restrictions as an example, Black said it’s evidence cities aren’t willing to sacrifice public health in order to avoid mandates.

The missing piece could also be why people are feeling a lack of transparency from the city, and Black is worried the lack of clarity could drive further misconceptions about the water supply crisis. Ultimately, she believes it’s “extremely easy” for individuals to reduce their water consumption, but the challenge this time around will be making the messaging stick.

“I don’t think we’ve cracked the nut on how to make people understand the premise of community, and why every drop literally does count.”