Damaged water main prompts emergency action Calgary
The cause of the water main break remains unknown.
Key Takeaways:
- On Wednesday, June 5, a critical piece of water infrastructure in Calgary failed.
- The damaged water main has caused City of Calgary has issued a series of emergency water restrictions, including asking residents to reduce water use by 25%.
- The city is currently working to determine the cause of the break and repair it.
The Whole Story:
The City of Calgary has issued a series of emergency water restrictions due to a large damaged water main.
Officials said Friday that crews are continuing to repair a large water main break in the Bowness and Montgomery area. This critical water transmission line has severely impacted the supply in Calgary’s reservoirs and the ability to move water across the city.
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. Calgary is currently using more water than it can produce.
“If Calgarians do not reduce our water use, we are at risk of running out,” said officials. “The City is asking Calgarians to save water for the next few days while the work gets completed.
Officials are asking citizens to try to use 25% less water than yesterday. This could mean actions like shaving a few minutes off your shower, skipping a few flushes, and holding off on a load of laundry.
Crews are still working around the clock. Overnight, they continued to pump water from the area around the break. The city stated it was hopeful that by later today they be able to see the feeder main and determine the cause of the break.
A boil water advisory remains in place for all residents and businesses in Bowness. Residents and businesses need to bring water to a rolling boil for at least one minute prior to any consumption, including:
- drinking
- brushing teeth
- cleaning raw foods
- preparing infant formula or juices
- making ice, etc.
Alberta Health Services and The City will continue to monitor the situation, including sampling and testing of the drinking water to ensure it is safe for consumption. This advisory has been issued as a precautionary measure.
This advisory will remain in effect until further notice.
