Calgary 'using more water than it can produce', officials say

Water conservation urged following main break City of Calgary officials are urging everyone to use less water for the next while – or the supply could actually run out.

In an update on Friday morning, Calgary officials are urging the public to follow all the guidelines around water conservation because at the current rate of consumption, the city could run out of water.

"Yesterday, Calgary saw a significant reduction in water use until the afternoon; however, water use greatly increased around the time people got home from work," officials said in a news release.

"Calgary is currently using more water than it can produce."

Officials said that if Calgarian do not cut down on their water use, the city runs the risk of running out of treated water.

"We're asking citizens to try and use 25 per cent less water than yesterday," the city said.

To do that, officials suggest reducing shower times by a few minutes, skipping a few flushes of the toilet or holding off on doing laundry for the time being.

"Our crews are still working around the clock. Overnight, we continued to pump water from the area around the break. We are hopeful that by later today we’ll be able to see the feeder main and determine the cause of the break."

How long Calgary's water lasts all depends on the actions of residents, said Calgary's director of water services Nancy Mackay.

"We are taking stock of how much water we are able to produce and bring out to the larger reservoirs that hold treated water," she said, adding that those supplies are placed throughout communities, often buried under soccer fields.

"As we looked at that, the balance dipped in the wrong direction."

At this point, the city says it won't be putting any mandatory restrictions on Calgarians inside their own homes.

"We're not about that. We're about doing the right thing," she said. "We all know how we use water, so how can you change things."

Sue Henry, head of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, is confident that all Calgarians will follow the rules now that they've been reminded about what they need to do.

"What we found yesterday with a lot of the calls is that people were unaware," she said. "It was an education-first approach. People were compliant for the most part with what the request was and it was really about making sure they had the message."

Henry said they were called to check on 56 reports of water misuse and eight reports of residents having a fire during the fire ban,

The main that burst Wednesday evening is a critical transmission line that moves water across the city.

Crews are still figuring out what caused the 78-inch reinforced concrete pipe to fail while they work to repair it.

The city says it has the tools and parts to fix it, but getting to where it broke and clearing it out is will take at least a day or two

Mayor Jyoti Gondek said it would also be several days before water restrictions are lifted.

She doesn't expect the taps to run dry, but the city's supply is still at a critical level.

Calgary and several surrounding communities, which draw on the same water sources as the city, remain under level four water restrictions.

Stage 4 outdoor watering restrictions mean you can't water plants, your lawn or use tap water for any other purpose outside.

Businesses are also being asked to stop all non-essential water use, which includes uses in construction, exterior window cleaning, pesticide applications and washing surfaces.

Exemptions are in place for facilities that provide life-sustaining services for people, animals and plants.

There is no restriction on car washes, but Mackay says many are voluntarily closing down.

"It is up to that businesses. If you can delay washing your car and taking it there, I would ask that you do that," she said.

A fire ban is also in effect since the water supply is low.

"The fire ban is in effect until further notice until water supply issues are no longer deemed a risk to health and safety," the city said. "Fines for violating a fire ban range from $500 to $5,000."

The community of Bowness is also still under a boil water advisory, which means all residents must boil tap water for at least a minute before using it.

What's open and closed in Calgary

A number of city services have been impacted by the water main break and officials have closed all city pools, arenas, art centres and bulk water stations at community fire halls.

No showers are available at city athletic parks or at the Calgary Soccer Centre.

Street sweeping for a number of communities has also been postponed, the city said.

Residents in Willow Park, Sandstone Valley, Taradale, Saddleridge, Royal Oak, Highland Park, Greenview, Cranston, Penbrooke Meadows, Southwood, Aspen Woods and Springbank Hill will have their streets cleaned up at a later date.

Roads near the water main break are also closed as crews continue work on the water main break, the city said.

"We encourage Calgarians to avoid the impacted area around 16 Avenue and Home Road N.W. and to plan some extra time around their commute as there may be traffic impacts because of this incident."

Further updates on the Stage 4 water restriction and Calgary water outage can be found online.