With repairs having been completed on the original feeder main break near 16 Avenue Northwest, Calgary city crews are now tackling two new construction locations to fix five remaining damaged areas of the water feeder main. Construction work will be a 24-hour operation.
David Duckworth, the City of Calgary's Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), clarified on Tuesday morning that hotspots are not leaks.
"...But rather they are identified structural deficiencies that require immediate repair. There are no indications of leaks at this point, but that may change as we uncover and assess the pipe at each of these five hotspot locations; we want to get ahead of and avoid a similar failure to the one that we've just recently experienced due to these hotspots."
Duckworth added that they have sourced additional sections of pipe to support the feeder main repairs, three sections of pipe are in Calgary and are being prepped for installation, while two more sections are on route from San Diego by truck and scheduled to arrive tomorrow.
Amidst the ongoing construction work, Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek said that on Monday, Calgarians consumed 450 million litres of water. While she said that the numbers indicate Calgarians and Airdronians are adhering to water restrictions and finding ways to conserve inside their homes, the number is an increase from Sunday, when 439 million litres were consumed.
"We are below the threshold for usage and well within the range of water required for storage on a regular basis," Gondek added.
On Monday, despite the prolonged water restrictions as well as a local state of emergency being declared in Calgary, officials said that the 2024 Calgary Stampede will go on.
"The show will go on, and the summer will carry forward," Mayor Jyoti Gondek said on Monday afternoon.
She reiterated that message on Tuesday morning, saying that summer isn't cancelled.
"We continue to find ways that festivals and events can proceed in a way that's responsible and sustainable."
Post-incident review of water main break
CAO Duckworth also outlined that a post-incident review of the main break will happen.
"The framework for the full third party review has already been established, and the scope of this review will include, but not be limited to understanding the factors that contributed to the original pipe failure, understanding of current practices for inspection and asset sustainability, and it will include recommendations for specific actions to improve water supply resilience."
He said the expert panel will consist of academics, professionals from the water utilities industry, management and engineering, and government entities. Ultimately, the panel will provide recommendations based on the findings.
Airdrie water consumption hit target
In a brief update on Monday afternoon, city officials said that Airdrie residents' water conservation has paid off, hitting a 25 per cent drop in water usage.
"Great work, Airdrie! Our community's efforts to reduce water usage are paying off. Yesterday, June 17, we saw a 25 per cent drop in water usage compared to normal levels before the outdoor water restrictions," The City stated.
However, The Genesis Place pool and aquatics facilities will remain closed up to and inclusive of July 1, as Airdrie remains under level four outdoor water restrictions due to an extensive water main break in Calgary.
"Ice-arena activities resumed over the weekend. The water used to maintain the City’s ice arenas is being supplied from sources outside the Calgary water main break impacted region via a water truck," officials added.
Under level four water restrictions, all outdoor water use is temporarily banned, and indoor water conservation is strongly encouraged. 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.
'Fun isn't cancelled'
On Monday, Acting Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA), Coby Duerr, said they have been working with event organizers, including the Stampede, in order to make sure the 10-day marquee event can go ahead as planned.
"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 had 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 would 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."
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."
While a fire ban remains in place in both Airdrie and Calgary, on Monday, Rocky View County lifted its fire ban.
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Sat, Jun 29, 5:00 PM
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