Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek says Calgary water users need to buckle down and cut back on their water usage as the city is not out of the woods yet when it comes to the ongoing water crisis.
Gondek reminded residents during her Friday morning briefing that there are four final steps before water use can return to normal. The main feeder line along 16 Ave NW must be filled, then flushed, then tested, and then stabilized.
Gondek said the city is only at the first stage of filling, which is expected to be completed Friday evening. But, she stressed, the water line is far from fixed, and water users need to continue to conserve.
“We are not out of the woods yet,” said a clearly exasperated Gondek, “because the job is not done yet. The feeder main that broke is not back online yet. For those who think the conclusion of the repairs was the all clear for regular water usage, it was not.”
Gondek said Calgary water use skyrocketed on Thursday, and this was unacceptable.
“Our usage was at 500 million litres yesterday, the most that we have used since this crisis began when we asked you to start reducing your water usage by 25 per cent, so that we could ensure we would have water flowing from a single treatment plant to all of our homes and businesses until we could get the feeder main repaired and get our water service back up to regular levels.”
Gondek stressed the need to return to conservation mode for the next several days after Thursday’s lapse.
“Let me say this again: The Bearspaw feeder main is not back in service yet,” she said, stressing the water system was still in a vulnerable place.
Calgary officials stated on June 27 they are now in the fill, flush, test, and stabilizing stage of the water main that broke in early June. If this work is successful without any further issues, water restrictions will be eased as early as July 1.