‘We are at risk of running out’: Calgarians asked to use 25% less water than yesterday
After a major feeder water main break plunged Calgary’s water supply into a critical state, city officials are now asking Calgarians to use 25 per cent less than they did yesterday, sounding the alarm that the city is at risk of running out.
The Bearspaw south water main — which is 11 kilometres long and as wide as two metres in parts — suffered a break Wednesday night that left hundreds of homes and businesses in the city’s northwest without water.
Just before 7 p.m. Wednesday, the break caused streets to suddenly flood in the Montgomery area around Home Road, forcing the closure of several roads and intersections, including 16th Avenue in both directions.
In a news release sent Friday morning, the city says it is hopeful crews will be able to determine the cause of the break at some point on Friday.
“The crews have been working 24/7,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek in an interview with the Calgary Eyeopener on Friday morning.
“We don’t know what went wrong yet. What I can tell you is that this piece of infrastructure was identified for maintenance work earlier this year, and that work took place in April. And that’s a good news story that our water teams are very well aware of how to maintain our infrastructure.”
‘This current level of water use cannot continue’
During a press conference on Friday morning at the city’s Emergency Operations Centre, Nancy Mackay, the city’s director of water services, said while Calgarians were able to reduce their water use during the day on Thursday, the city’s water use peaked again in the evening hours once people returned home from work.
“This current level of water use cannot continue,” said Mackay.
“If we do not reduce our water use even further, we are at risk of running out.”
Calgary Eyeopener6:16Mayor Gondek on the watermain break
We speak with the Mayor about the ongoing efforts to fix that massive watermain break that’s still having an impact across Calgary.
The Stage 4 water restrictions remain in place, and the city continues to maintain a mandatory outdoor watering ban. Officials are also asking Calgarians to limit their non-essential water use by taking these additional actions:
- Limiting showers and keeping baths shallow.
- Delay using appliances that use water, such as dishwashers and washing machines.
- Turning off humidifiers and ice machines.
- Turning off water taps when not in use.
- Reducing water use in any way that can be done safely.
When asked about possibly invoking mandatory indoor water restrictions, Mackay said that the city is still only asking Calgarians to “scale back where they can.”
“The one thing that we do know about Calgarians is that they do step up.”
A boil-water advisory for the community of Bowness remains in place. The boil-water advisory requires all residents and businesses in Bowness to bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before any consumption, including:
- Drinking.
- Brushing teeth.
- Cleaning raw foods.
- Preparing infant formula or juices.
- Making ice.
City officials provide a third update on major feeder main break affecting Calgary’s water supply.
The city has placed nine water wagons around the Bowness area in these locations:
- 4527 77 St. N.W. (Bowness Community Association)
- 5927 Bowness Rd. N.W. (Bow Crest Nursing Home).
- 7311 34 Ave. N.W. (Our Lady of Assumption School).
- 4631 85 St. N.W. (On 85th Street beside Belvedere Parkway School).
- 7915 43 Ave. N.W. (Bow Centre Seniors Home).
- 2003 46 St. N.W. (James Shouldice Manor, access between school and manor on 47th Street.
- 82 Juniper Dr. N.W.
- 4628 Montgomery Blvd. N.W. (Bow View Manor Nursing Home).
- 6540 Bowness Rd. N.W. (on 65th Street N.W. beside Bowness Car Wash).
Calgary Eyeopener8:37Sonya Sharp on the water main break
We check in on the community of Bowness, which remains under a boil water advisory.
The citywide fire ban is also still in effect.
As of Friday morning, bylaw officers had attended eight calls for fires and 56 calls for misuse of water.
“What we found yesterday with a lot of the calls is that people were unaware,” said Sue Henry, chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) during Friday’s press conference.
Henry says the city will continue to take an education-based approach.
A water main break that left hundreds of homes without water in Calgary triggered an Alberta Emergency Alert, warning that Calgary’s water supply is in a critical state. Residents are being asked to conserve water while the city finds the break and conducts repairs.
The Trans-Canada Highway remains closed eastbound between Sarcee Trail and Home Road N.W. The highway is also closed westbound between Home Road and 49 Street N.W.
The closure notice is set to be in effect until Monday morning, according to the city’s website.
“This is a massive break that cannot be repaired in a day or two,” said Mackay.
“Just as we came together in the floods of 2013, we need everyone to do their part.”
Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp said the ongoing water issues have been a “shock” to Bowness residents.
“This community has been through so much since the floods in 2013,” Sharp told CBC Radio host Loren McGinnis on Friday morning.
Despite the stress, Sharp said that, on Thursday, the Bowness Community Association became a hub for the neighbourhood to help each other out.
The city councillor said that for senior residents and residents with mobility issues, the water wagon locations weren’t easily accessible. In order to address the immediate need for water, community members delivered bottles to each other’s houses and the local community centre.
“It just shows that this community comes together so quickly and supports one another.”
