Yesterday, we moved into Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, which prohibits all outdoor water use. We also asked Calgarians to reduce indoor water use to allow us to prepare for shutting down the feeder main and begin urgent repairs that will continue through to late September.
We have adjusted the water flow in the system to maintain our supply, but we still need your help to lower demand. Yesterday, during the first day of Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, we saw water use drop to 533 million litres. That is a 75 million litre drop in water use from Sunday. While this is a move in the right direction, we are not at the level we need to sustain our water supply.
With the feeder main now out of service, it’s critical that Calgarians reduce their water use further. Today’s water use numbers are higher than expected and still well above our target of 450 million litres, which is the limit our system can sustainably supply while the Bearspaw South Feeder Main is out of service.
Today we are appealing to all Calgarians: If you haven’t started reducing water yet, now is the time. We understand that this is an adjustment, just like it was in June, but we need everyone’s cooperation to be able to complete repairs before winter.
Why it’s important to reduce water use
We need to complete these repairs now to avoid the risk of another catastrophic failure of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, like the one we experienced in June. If another failure happened during winter, we would not have the water supply available to refill our underground storage reservoirs due to low river flows after September.
Under normal circumstances, the Bearspaw South Feeder Main delivers about 60 per cent of the water from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant. Without it, our water supply is limited, and we’re relying on the smaller Glenmore Water Treatment Plant, which is not designed to meet the full demand of the city on its own.
If we continue to use more than 450 million liters of water per day, we risk running out of drinking water. This could deplete our underground reservoirs, leaving us without enough water for essential needs like firefighting.
Steps Calgarians can take to reduce water
As a reminder, here is what we’re asking Calgarians to do now.
Outdoor water use is prohibited. Please check that your irrigation systems are turned off. If you need to water your trees or gardens, you can use non-potable water sources like your rain barrel, grey water or river water from one of our designated pick-up locations.
Indoors, we’re asking Calgarians to focus on taking three actions that make the biggest difference in reducing water use.
- Limit showers to 3 minutes or less: Shortening a shower from five minutes to three minutes quickly adds up to significant water savings. Even better is switching to once every two days rather than daily showers.
- Run laundry and dishwashers only when full: Washing machines are one of the biggest users of water inside your home. In addition to running full loads, reduce the number of loads you do each week.
- Flush toilets only when necessary: Every time you skip a flush you save six litres of water. As a city of 1.4 million people, we could save three Olympic-sized swimming pools per day.
Construction update
Since yesterday, our crews have been preparing for the repairs by opening and closing valves, setting up water bypasses and adjusting pump settings. We now also have equipment set up at five sites to drain the feeder main in preparation for excavation.
Crews also started putting up fencing around the areas on 33 Avenue N.W. and in Shouldice Park in preparation for the repair work that will happen. The work in Shouldice Park will not affect traffic on 16 Avenue N.W., however there may be temporary disruptions on Montserrat Drive, which is immediately adjacent to the repair location.
The fencing ensures the site is safe for workers and the public. It also ensures there is enough space around the excavations so work can be done safely.
Next steps
Today, we stopped the water flow from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant to the feeder main. Early this morning, we turned off and isolated the feeder main and began draining water from it into the Bow River, a process that will take 24 to 48 hours.
We also started construction on the urgent repair sites on 33 Avenue N.W. We began removing asphalt from 33 Avenue N.W., and tomorrow we’ll begin excavation to reach the pipe once it’s fully drained and depressurized.
We know this is a busy time of year as everyone returns from summer holidays and settles into new routines. We’re working as quickly as possible to complete these repairs. We appreciate your patience and cooperation—your actions have already made a big difference since the original break in June, and together, we can continue to maintain a stable water supply through the winter.
