No new hotspots found in Calgary water main, more construction begins Monday

According to Mayor Jyoti Gondek in a Sunday afternoon update on the water main situation, the main water break in the South Bearspaw water feedermain pipe has been repaired, and no further breaches were found after a robotic inspection of the last 300 meters of pipe was completed.

On Sunday, the Calgary Mayor and other City of Calgary officials also announced that portions of 16th Avenue Northwest will reopen later this evening.

Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief (CEMA) Sue Henry also shared that The City of San Diego has offered help by sending a length of pipe to Calgary needed for the repairs.

"With that, they sent a message of hope. Thank you to the County of San Diego. We're grateful you are in this fight with us, and your message of support has uplifted a lot of people here in Calgary," she said.

Traffic update

While a portion of 16 Avenue will re-open, Henry said that the road situation would become more difficult as repairs begin on the other five problem areas on the water feedermain. Traffic changes include:

• Eastbound lanes of 16 Avenue Northwest, where the initial break happened, are reopening to traffic today.

• 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 Northwest to Bowness Road Northwest

• East/West traffic will be detoured onto Bowness Road. Expect delays.

• Eastbound lanes of 16 Avenue Northwest will re-open later today to allow a two-way traffic setup of one lane in each direction while repairs continue on the two westbound lanes. 

"We know this will add traffic congestion, and you need to expect delays if you are moving through this area. However, these closures are a positive step in the right direction toward restoring the water service. We are moving quickly. We know the urgency you feel to get back to normal as quickly as possible. "

Progress on repairs

Francois Bouchart, Director of Capital Priorities and Investments, gave a more detailed update on the repairs to the main break that occurred over a week ago. 

"Yesterday, our crew finished protecting the new segment of pipe from corrosion, and the final inspection of the pipe was completed. Today, crews have removed water from the site due to yesterday's rain, and we're now backfilling the site and moving equipment out of the area. This is a major milestone in our response to this drastic break."

Bouchart, however, underlined that work will continue on the five remaining hotspots.

"Construction on those hotspots will start tomorrow, and I want to reiterate that we will be doing those repairs concurrently. The area[s] may notice increased construction activities during the development of our staging areas, the presence of heavy equipment and construction vehicles, and the finalization of the establishment of new detours," Bouchart added.

Crews will work 24 hours a day but will attempt to mitigate noise in the evening.

"Our estimates shared on Friday are still held at three to five weeks to complete the additional repairs. We are actively looking at ways to speed up work while focusing on health, safety and quality of work."

Renewed call for water conservation inside the home 

Nicole Newton, Natural Environment and Adaptation Manager renewed calls for water conservation.

As repair work is underway to fix additional damage in the South Bearspaw Feedermain, residents were once again reminded of water conservation. (Graphic credit to The City of Calgary)

"Until the feedermain is fully operational, we need to use 25 per cent less water daily. Our collective efforts to do and will add up. On Saturday, our water use hit a required 25 per cent reduction. However, earlier in this week, we experienced concerning trends. We are in a state of local emergency and it's critical to continue to hit our water target," she said.

Newton shared more tips to conserve water inside the home, including cutting back on laundry loads.

"In addition to running full loads of laundry, reduce the number of loads you do each week and trim back to one to two loads by sorting your laundry and only washing what is absolutely essential. Toilets are next. Even if you have a low-flush toilet, you can skip a flush and adopt it the: it's yellow, it's mellow and if it's brown, flush it down routine."

She advised skipping at least two toilet flushes per day.

"Collectively, as a city of 1.4 million people, we could save three Olympic swimming-sized pools or approximately 450,000 of these five-gallon jugs. Turn off your water softener. This can save approximately 200 litres every time it cycles."

Showering instead of bathing is also encouraged.

"Shortening a shower from five minutes to three minutes can save 20 litres of water, equivalent to approximately one blue gallon jug every day. Collectively, that's 1.4 million jugs. We can increase the savings by reducing the number of showers we take every week. You're already waiting to run the dishwasher until you have a full load, and keep it up. Now try to stretch out how often you run the dishwasher, even just by one day."

Considering low-prep meals, reusing cups throughout the day, and using compostable dishes over the next few weeks will also help.

Newton also asked businesses to do their part by adopting more water conservation strategies.

"If your business uses a water cooling system to run the air conditioner in your building, adjust the temperature one or two degrees warmer to help use less water. You can use fans or open windows."

Restaurants are encouraged to wait until customers ask for a glass of water rather than automatically providing a jug or filling their glasses at the table.

"Be upfront with your customers and guests about what you are doing. At hotels, talk to your guests during their check-in or display information in their rooms on how they can reduce water use during their stay by reusing towels, taking shorter showers, or turning off the taps when not in use."

Questions about the Calgary Stampede

Questions have been mounting about the Calgary Stampede and the impact the influx of tourists will have on the city's water supply. On Sunday afternoon, Mayor Gondek said they are discussing the matter with the Calgary Stampede.

"I believe they may be joining us tomorrow, and we can figure out the practices they are going to undertake to make sure they're limiting their water use as well, just like the rest of us," she said.

Yesterday, Mayor Gondek said that data from years past is being examined to gauge what type of water usage spike can be expected.

"We can make some determinations from there as to what we do moving forward. We work with our partners like the Calgary Stampede to understand what role each of us plays in managing the situation."

She underlined that she will not speculate at the moment what actions may have to be taken.

"We're not at that point yet, but as we get closer, definitely those are conversations we will have." 

On Friday evening, The Calgary Stampede issued a statement following news that The City of Calgary and surrounding communities, including Airdrie, would continue to be under water restrictions for three to five weeks.

"We will continue to work with our partners at the City of Calgary and the Calgary Emergency Management Agency as this situation evolves," The Calgary Stampede wrote in response.

The Calgary Stampede begins on July 5, less than three weeks from today.

Calgary Mayor's update on water usage

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek updated the public earlier on Sunday morning, saying that water consumption had hit an all-time low the previous day.

"... We used 438 million litres of water [yesterday], which is better than what we hoped to achieve. The best that we did was last Saturday, about eight days ago, when you consumed 440 million litres," she said. "I cannot thank you enough for taking that call to action seriously."

In comparison, Friday's water usage was recorded at 480 mega-litres.

Mayor Gondek also noted that the water supply was an estimated 634 million litres at 6 a.m. on Sunday. 

"That means that we have enough water stored to meet demand and also protect ourselves in case of any emergencies. I want to thank everybody in Calgary, Airdrie, Tsuut'ina Nation, Strathmore and Chestermere."

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’re proud of our community's efforts in reducing water usage by an average of 22 per cent. Let's 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 restriction, residents cannot:

• Water lawns, gardens, trees, shrubs, and flowers can be done by any method other than rainwater.
• Wash down any outdoor surfaces, including exterior building surfaces, windows, sidewalks, driveways, or walkways, unless your business requires it 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 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's 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 haven't 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.

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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