We are completing work today to determine if we are ready to turn on additional pumps at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant to push more water through the water feeder main pipe.
Doing this would increase the amount of water we are able to supply to Calgary and the surrounding areas. However, it will also increase the amount of pressure and potential stress on the feeder main walls. This is why we are being cautious and working with our engineering team to analyze how the pipe is performing.
Multiple acoustic monitoring devices have been installed along the pipe and the analysis from the mechanical pipe diver is expected at the end of July. The pipe diver results will help determine our approach over the coming months.
Stage 3 Outdoor Water Restrictions
On Saturday, our water demand was 535 million litres. This is a drop from 554 million litres on Friday.
We remain in Stage 3 Outdoor Water Restrictions, where we have been since last Saturday. These restrictions are helping to keep the water demand in line with what we can supply right now.
Under Stage 3 restrictions, you can do things like hand watering from a watering can or other container, watering new sod or grass seed, and water use for construction purposes and home renovation projects.
You can find more details on Stage 3 Outdoor Water Restrictions, as well as Frequently Asked Questions and other information at calgary.ca/restrictions.
Status of Feeder Main
We have not made any changes to the flow of water through the feeder main since yesterday.
Part of the work we’re doing this weekend is planning whether to start increasing the flow further. As mentioned, we are moving cautiously.
This is because we do not want to risk another break that could set back our progress.
Earlier this week, we detected three snaps in the wires coiling around different segments of the feeder main pipe. The wire coils hundreds of times around each 16-foot segment of pipe, so a single snap is not a sign that a new break in the pipe is imminent, but it does help give us information about how the pipe is responding to pressure.
As of this afternoon, no further wire snaps have been detected along the feeder main today.
Next steps and timing
In order to lower our Outdoor Water Restrictions and allow more outdoor water use, we need to increase the flow of water through the feeder main by turning on additional pumps at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant.
Tomorrow we will be able to share more information about the next steps, and what that means for water restrictions.
