Amid record high water usage in Calgary - the highest since the water feeder main break, officials have said that they continue to fill the pipe with water, which is expected to be completed later on Friday evening.

Amid record high water usage in Calgary - the highest since the water feeder main break, officials have said that the continue to fil the pipe with water, which is expected to be completed later on Friday evening.Amid record high water usage in Calgary - the highest since the water feeder main break, officials have said that they continue to fill the pipe with water, which is expected to be completed later on Friday evening. (Graphic credit to The City of Calgary)

The city underlined that though the visible repair has wrapped up, it is important for Calgarians and surrounding communities to know that this does not mean that service has been fully restored to the feeder main.

"Thursday’s water use for the Calgary area was 500 million litres... While a small portion of this increase can be attributed to filling the feeder main, we must remain under our threshold of 480 million litres so demand does not outstrip supply," the city stated in a news release.

Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief, Sue Henry said that if the trend continues, it could leave the city in a vulnerable position.

"... If water consumption continues on the current trend line we’re on, we may be putting lives at risk," she said. "Hospitals may have water shortages and fires may not be able to be put out. Now is not the time to take our foot off the brake by reducing water consumption. We are asking Calgarians to do their part to make every drop count. We’re all hopeful that the finish line is not far off."

To allow crews to flush the water feeder main and conduct water quality testing, the parking lot at Point McKay near Bowness Road is closed to the public and some sections of the Bow River pathway have detours.

The south parking lot will remain open and is accessible from Bow Trail and Edworthy Street Southwest.

"If you are planning on floating and boating down the river this weekend, please stay off the north shoreline for your safety."

General Manager of Infrastructure Services, Michael Thompson said that the next phase carries risk.

"In the event there is an issue, we have contingency plans in place," he said. "We have prepared spare pipe material and it is ready to be installed if needed, equipment remains on site and we have a rapid response plan to ensure staff and contractors can get to the site urgently if required."

Initially, there may be some discolouration and sediment coming out of the pipe during the flushing stage.

"We are working with Alberta Environment and Protected Areas to ensure that we mitigate the environmental impact of the water entering the Bow River. The flushed water will be released through fire hydrants and dechlorinated before reaching the river. This water will then be sampled and tested by Alberta Health Services."

A fire ban remains in effect for The City of Calgary, while Airdrie has downgraded to a fire advisory, though the outdoor watering ban is still in place in Airdrie and Calgary.

The paving of 16 Avenue Northwest is substantially complete with the final top two inches set to be paved once the feeder main is in service. As of noon today, 16 Avenue Northwest has fully reopened to eastbound and westbound traffic.

However, the following lane reductions are in place so crews can monitor the pipe for the duration of the filling and flushing process:

  • Two lanes on westbound 16 Avenue at 43 Street Northwest
  • One Lane on westbound 16 Avenue at 44 Street Northwest. 

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