Crews continue to work to repair a major water main break and five other weak spots in Calgary, June 22.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Lawn sprinklers could make a comeback in Calgary on Sunday if all goes well with the restart of a troubled water pipe.
Francois Bouchart, the city’s director of capital priorities and investment, says it has finished refilling the massive Bearspaw South Feeder Main after almost a month of repairs.
Final water-quality tests have been sent off to a lab and, if they come back clean, work should begin Saturday on stabilizing the system and reconnecting the newly repaired pipe.
Bouchart says it’s likely some Calgarians may have cloudy or chlorine-smelling water coming out of their taps while the pipe is being reconnected, but it’s safe to drink and will resolve quickly.
He says that based on the progress so far, the city is on track to lift its water-use restrictions some time on Sunday.
Since late August, there has been a ban on any outdoor water use with potable supplies, and Calgarians have been urged to take shorter showers, skip toilet flushes and hold off on laundry and dishes.
“I thank you for your water saving efforts,” Bouchart told a news conference Friday, as he reported the city used a sustainable amount of water a day earlier.
It’s the second round of water rationing since the feeder main in northwest Calgary burst in early June.
Most restrictions had been eased when, in early August, the city announced the more than 10-kilometre line would have to be taken out of service again to fix several trouble spots that had been discovered. Residents were again told they’d have to cut their water use.