Local News
More wire snaps in Calgary water main; restrictions remain
Calgary officials said that they have observed three additional wire snaps in the Bearspaw south water feeder main, bringing the number of wire snaps to a total of eight since the feeder main was brought back into service. "While these are not a sign that a feeder main break is imminent, they happened in a fairly short period and we want to do some further investigation before we make any changes to our system or water restrictions," said Calgary's director of water services, Nancy Mackay. Earlier in the week, an additional pump at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant was turned on to increase the flow of water to the feeder main to 75 per cent of its maximum speed. Crews will be investigating the snaps over the weekend, along with continued monitoring. Yesterday, the city's water usage was down to 639 litres, which Mackay said is in line with expectations, as cooler weather conditions prevail. Both Airdrie and Calgary remain under water restrictions, with Airdrie also being under a fire restriction. In Airdrie, under level one water restrictions, the following is permitted: Watering with hose hose-connected sprinkler 1 day a week for a maximum of two hours per day Irrigation with automatic sprinkler systems 1 day a week for a maximum of two hours per day Watering with a smart irrigation system and a water use exception permit is allowed by must reduce watering programs by 15 per cent Municipal and school sports fields are allowed for two days a week for a maximum of 40 minutes Golf course maintenance stormwater watering is allowed but must reduce the potable watering program by 25 per cent Watering new sod or seed is allowed with a water use exception permit Watering gardens, trees and shrubs with a handheld container (watering can, bucket), spring-loaded nozzle or drip irrigation (not lawns) is allowed Municipal landscape watering is not allowed Municipal landscape watering with stormwater is allowed "We have decided to grant a City-wide exception to allow for the testing and maintenance of irrigation systems. It is important to note that while maintenance and testing activities can proceed, operating irrigation systems must continue to comply with Schedule E of the City’s Waterworks Bylaw," The City states on its website. Additionally: Filling of recreational water bodies, including hot tubs, and swimming and wading pools is allowed Washing sidewalks, walkways, driveways, exterior building surfaces or other outdoor surfaces is allowed where required by health and safety regulations (childcare facilities, food and beverage establishments, kennel or animal care facilities) Washing vehicles outdoors is not allowed according to Drainage Bylaw No. B03/2014 Watering plants for commercial sale is allowed Essential street cleaning and bridge washing are allowed Water use for construction and renovation purposes is allowed without the need for a Water-Use Exemption Permit Bulk water sales are allowed Under the fire restriction in Airdrie, all existing fire permits are suspended and no new fire permits will be issued until conditions improve. Prohibited activities include: Any burning without a valid fire permit Use of farm-burning barrels Incinerator fires Consumer fireworks Allowed activities include: Use of residential firepits/wood campfires that follow the guidelines below* Use of natural gas or propane fire pits that are CSA-approved or ULC-certified Use of natural gas, propane or electric stoves, barbecues, and smokers that are CSA-approved or ULC-certified. Use of solid fuelled barbeque appliances, where the primary source of fuel consists of charcoal, briquettes, or wood Use of catalytic or infrared-style heaters that are CSA-approved or ULC-certified Approved fires contained in industrial facilities or sites (energy, forestry or agricultural) Rocky View County is under a fire ban, while the entire Forest Protection Area, including the Calgary Forest Area, remains in effect. Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com. You can also message and follow us on Twitter: @AIR1061FM DiscoverAirdrie encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the DiscoverAirdrie app. For breaking news, weather and contest alerts, click here.