Calgary city officials have said that the 2024 Calgary Stampede will go on, despite the strong possibility that the prolonged water restrictions may continue into the Stampede, as well as The City having declared a local state of emergency over the weekend.
"The show will go on, and the summer will carry forward," Mayor Jyoti Gondek said on Monday afternoon.
'Fun isn't cancelled'
Acting Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), Coby Duerr, echoed the Mayor's statement, adding that neither fun nor summer is cancelled.
"We have been working with the event organizers to make sure they don't impact our water use during this critical time," he said.
He added that they have reviewed the five-year daily water demand trend during Stampede Week, and it has been noted that there wasn’t a significant uptick in demand during past years.
“This is due to two factors. During Stampede, we know Calgarians are also travelling elsewhere during the summer vacation plans. We also know that water use is weather-dependent, and as we know from past years, many of us have been caught in this; early July can bring big storms, reducing the need for water outdoors."
Duerr added that the city's water expert team will analyze the demand trends more thoroughly as they continue to prepare strategies to support the Stampede.
"... But knowing that Calgary is Stampede, and The Stampede is Calgary, we feel that we can look forward to a great Stampede."
What about visitors?
Duerr addressed concerns that tourists coming to the city may also be a significant factor in driving up water usage.
"Calgary is open to visitors. Come, eat here, shop here, and enjoy your time with us. We just ask that when you are in our city, you are one of us and fight this fight with us," Duerr said. "Follow all of our restrictions. Make every drop count. Take three minutes showers or less. Take pictures and memories, but also take your laundry home with you - don't do it here."
Calgary Stampede CEO: 'The show will go on, but responsibly'
Joel Cowley, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Calgary Stampede, said that the organization is one of the greatest stewards of natural resources because of its agricultural background.
"I'll tell you that it's very important that it [The Stampede] moves on…The least of which is not the $282 million of economic impact generated for the province of Alberta," Cowley said.
Cowley added that The Stampede has been working with the City to identify ways in which the event can reduce the city's water use.
"... And that would involve both the use of non-potable water, which can be used for a number of reasons. We can use that to groom our track and our performance arenas. We can use it for some cleaning purposes with the proper additives as well, and also transporting in treated water to support our livestock population." Cowley explained.
He added that while the organizers want to make sure that the livestock in the Stampede are safe and healthy, they are cognizant of wanting to preserve the Calgary water supply.
"We'll also look at ways to bring in treated water to support our human guests as well during that time, and in instances where we have no choice but to use Calgary treated water, we will certainly implement conservation measures in that regard. I mentioned earlier that the Calgary Stampede is part of the community; it is deeper than that," Cowley stated. "We exist for the benefit of the community, and so, yes, the show will go on, but it will be done responsibly."
Tourism Calgary CEO and President Alisha Reynolds also noted that they have been working with the city to better understand the impacts on its tourism industry.
"As many of you know, tens of thousands of Calgarians make their living in the tourism industry, and they rely on visitors coming to our city for their livelihood. As we head into summer, this is a critical time for the industry, with many local businesses depending on visitors coming to our city, as well as locals coming out to their establishments to sustain their operations for the balance of the year."
She said that Tourism Calgary is engaging with its over 1,000 partners to share conservation best practices.
"... So, we can sustainably and responsibly welcome visitors while still providing that great guest experience and continuing to support the industry and our local community as we head into summer. Having been through crises in the past, we know how great this community is coming together and doing everything we can to support each other," Reynolds said.
However, she did underline that the city, despite the water restrictions, is open to visitors and open for business.
"We look forward to welcoming them responsibly, safely and sustainably. To visitors, including our friends and family who have plans to come to Calgary, we know you will have a tremendous time during your visit, and we want to thank you in advance for supporting our industry and community."
Where repairs stand
The main breakage in the water feeder main has been repaired, with site cleanup occurring. Crews will now be working around the clock to repair the five damaged areas along the pipe.
"There are parts available for three of those, and we are waiting for parts for the other two, and as you know, those are coming to us from San Diego, so, we are eagerly awaiting that shipment from our friends down south," Mayor Gondek said.
Michael Thompson, General Manager of Infrastructure Services added the work on the five hotspots will be in two different locations that are different from the original main break area.
"One site has one hotspot on it; the other site has four of the hotspots on it," he said. "We have determined the fastest way to approach this issue is to cut out the sections of pipe that we have concerns with and replace them. That is why we have three sections of pipe in Calgary being prepared for installation. We have worked with San Diego to source two sections from them, which are currently en route. We'll be cutting out that pipe and replacing it with new pipe as we go forward."
Water usage update
Earlier today, Mayor Gondek said that water usage for the City of Calgary was recorded at 439 million litres for Sunday, a slight increase from Saturday's usage. Gondek praised residents for their continued efforts to conserve water as Calgary and Airdrie, as well as other surrounding communities, enter another week of water restrictions.
"To all Calgarians and our neighbouring communities. I can speak for all of us here in the City of Calgary; we are incredibly grateful for everything that you have been doing."
Airdrie officials update residents on main flushing and continued water restrictions
In a Sunday morning update, Airdrie City officials said that main flushing along 8 Street will be performed for regulatory compliance.
"Flushing water lines are required to maintain a minimum chlorine residual of 0.1 mg/L, as per provincial regulations. The City explored options to collect the flushed water, but due to road infrastructure (medians), it is not possible," The City stated.
Officials also underscored that they understand the situation is challenging for residents.
"... But we are proud of our community's efforts in reducing water usage by an average of 22 per cent. Let us keep up the good work and continue to support each other. Even with rain in the forecast, the fire ban remains in effect due to the ongoing water crisis. This helps limit the need for fire suppression, conserving our water supply."
Airdrie remains under level four water restrictions. All outdoor water use is temporarily banned, and indoor water conservation is strongly encouraged. The City has asked residents to consider going to a car wash in another community.
"Remember, it's against the bylaw to wash your car in your driveway. Let’s all do our part to limit water to essential use."
Under level four water restrictions, residents cannot:
- Water lawns, gardens, trees, shrubs and flowers by any method other than rain water.
- Wash down any outdoor surfaces, including exterior building surfaces, windows, sidewalks, driveways, or walkways of any sort unless your business requires them to for health and safety reasons.
- Wash cars on driveways or streets.
- Fill outdoor decorative features, fountains, pools, or hot tubs.
- Use potable water for construction purposes such as grading, compaction, or dust control.
No boil water advisories are in effect within the City of Airdrie, and water remains safe to drink.
"To ensure we share the water currently available, we are asking Airdrie residents to immediately restrict indoor water use by taking the following voluntary actions:"
- Use dishwasher and washing machine only when required and with full loads.
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving.
- Limit showers to five minutes or less and keep baths shallow.
- Scrape plates clean rather than rinsing food off.
- Turn off humidifiers and ice machines, delay washing vehicles,
- Businesses using large volumes of non-essential water, such as laundromats and car washes, are asked to reduce water use.
- Businesses that use water to deliver a life-sustaining product or service for people and animals are exempt. Other exemptions include businesses using water to meet health code standards, such as health centres and restaurants.
"We thank residents for their cooperation in making temporary sacrifices to ensure that Airdrie and our surrounding communities have water for life-saving purposes," The City added.
City of Airdrie answers frequently asked questions by Airdrie residents
The City also offered answers to some frequently asked questions by residents. For those who have new sod and are worried that it is dying, The City has recommended contracting a landscape company or water hauler to bring potable water from places like Crossfield, Carstairs, or Cochrane.
"Keep proof of purchase for Municipal Enforcement. You can also use harvested rainwater to water your sod. If you have not installed sod yet, please delay until a later date. No exemption permits are being granted at this time."
It was reiterated that the restrictions are expected to last into early July and possibly beyond.
"The situation is being monitored closely, and updates will be provided as the situation evolves," The City added.
Harvested rainwater can also be used for water plants, and the City underlined that it uses non-potable water sources.
"This helps to ensure that potable water is reserved for essential uses. We are prioritizing the conservation of our limited potable water supply."
However, residents are reminded that they cannot use water from storm ponds, as the city drainage bylaw prohibits it.
"Section 10.1 states that storm drainage must not be diverted, used, or re-used without written approval from the City Manager and the applicable Provincial and/or Federal agencies. Using stormwater can pose safety risks and violate regulations."
The City said that water bills are based on usage; hence, reducing consumption can lead to lower bills.
Road closures
There are several road closures associated with the ongoing repairs to the water main, which include:
- Eastbound lanes of 16 Avenue Northwest, where the initial break happened, reopened to traffic yesterday.
- From 16 Avenue Northwest from 49 Street Northwest to Home Road will have the west bound lanes closed. East bound lanes will be opened into a two-way single lane traffic setup.
- 16 Avenue Northwest will be closed in both directions from 46 Avenue Northwest and 45 Avenue Northwest
- 16 Avenue Northwest will be closed in both directions from 43 Street to Bowness Road Northwest
- East/West traffic will be detoured onto Bowness Road. Expect delays.
An Alberta Emergency Alert advisory remains in place for Calgary, Airdrie, Strathmore, and Chestermere.
"... Supply levels remain in a critical state, affecting the city's ability to provide water to communities and ensure adequate water is available to support emergency fire suppression."
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Wed, Jun 26, 6:00 PM
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