Calgarians are being urged to keep reducing their water use as work to repair a major water main stretches into a second day in Calgary, on June 7.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Calgary officials warned Friday that Canada’s fourth-largest city could soon run out of water unless residents further reduce their consumption as work to repair a critical water main entered its second day.
Early Thursday morning, Calgarians were alerted that a significant break had occurred in the city’s south feeder main, which supplies water to over 1.2 million residents as well as the nearby municipalities of Airdrie, Chestermere and Strathmore.
The city has asked Calgarians to reduce their water use an additional 25 per cent, saying while consumption was fairly low during the day Thursday, it rose during the evening hours.
“We can do more and we need to do more,” Calgary’s head of emergency management, Sue Henry, said in a news conference Friday afternoon.
Thousands in Calgary left without water after massive water main break
Nancy MacKay, director of water services, said city reservoirs can typically store enough water for 1-1/2 to two days. She added the city can produce 520 million litres per day, but demand is currently around 610 million litres.
“We need Calgarians to take this seriously,” said Ms. MacKay. “We’re not going to run out tomorrow but I can tell you we will run out in the days to come.”
A boil-water advisory remains in place for the northwest community of Bowness.
In addition to a city-wide fire ban, restrictions remain on outdoor water use, such as watering lawns or washing vehicles. Ms. Henry said the city’s Bylaw Services have responded to 170 reports of water misuse and nine fire calls.
Businesses have been asked to stop using water for non-essential services. Hospitals, restaurants and businesses that use water to deliver life-sustaining products or services or to meet health-code standards are exempt.
There are no plans to impose mandatory indoor water restrictions on households or businesses, rather Ms. MacKay said the city will rely on people to “step up.”
Currently, the city is rerouting drinking water from the Glenmore Water Treatment plant in an attempt to get water to more communities, Ms. MacKay said. She added crews have uncovered both sides of the damaged pipe and are working to pump out excess water so they can begin to assess the necessary repairs. They do not yet have an estimate of when full service can be restored.
At the news conference Friday, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek reiterated that the water main is “like a central artery” supplying water across the city. She also called for Calgarians to work together to reduce water use.
“We’re in the midst of a significant water supply challenge and it requires a unified response from all of us,” Ms. Gondek said. “It’s important that we all come together to reduce our water supply.”
Airdrie Mayor Peter Brown echoed this message.
“We’re all in this together. Every drop counts,” he said.
Mark Garner, executive director of the Calgary Downtown Association (CDA), said water shortages are a concern for local businesses who have had to pivot their day-to-day operations.
Mr. Garner said independent coffee shops, for example, are relying solely on bottled water and have been brewing coffee in smaller batches. Restaurants and bars have also been limiting washing dishes to once or twice a day, he said, while hotels must shift their daily laundry cycles.
“Those types of things are showing people being creative to address the need for water, to provide customer services,” said Mr. Garner.
Bottled water has been flying off the shelves at several Calgary grocery stores as residents look to stock up. The Globe visited a couple of stores in the city’s southwest, where shelves were almost bare and any remaining cases of water were stacked on the floor. Similar to the pandemic panic buying of 2020, stores have placed limits on the number of bottles allowed for each customer.
If the bans on outdoor water usage persist, it could also affect how the city prepares for upcoming festivals and events throughout the summer, such as the Calgary Stampede or Calgary Folk Fest, Mr. Garner said.
“You’ve got to get the neighbourhood ready, but a lot of that requires cleaning, which requires water,” he said.
The CFL’s Calgary Stampeders host the Hamilton Tiger-Cats to open the CFL season Friday night, but the team said it is monitoring the city’s recommendations around water use and the game will go on as scheduled.
Have you been affected by Calgary’s water main break?
The Globe would like to hear from the Calgarians who are being asked to conserve water as officials continue work to repair a critical water main. How are you handling the conservation efforts? What are you doing to tangibly limit your use? Share your experience below, or by sending an e-mail to audience@globeandmail.com.