CALGARY — A day after Mayor Jyoti Gondek chided some Calgary residents for seemingly neglecting water conservation while the city works to restore service to a broken water main, he thanked residents for doing a better job.
Gondek said in an online update on Saturday that the city used 460 million liters of water on Friday, which she said was 23 percent of usual consumption.
On Friday, the situation looked different: Gondek warned that daily water consumption had increased over the week and reached 500 million liters on Thursday – the highest level since the city introduced its mix of voluntary and mandatory restrictions.
She reiterated the importance of saving water to ensure that there is enough water available for firefighters and hospitals.
The burst pipe and five other problem areas have been repaired and workers are expected to finish pumping millions of gallons of water through the 4.5-kilometer replacement line Friday evening.
Gondek said the main line filling was completed and crews began flushing the system on Saturday. The water will then be tested by Alberta Health Services and normal pressure will be gradually restored.
“If you have ever had an invasive surgical procedure or know someone who has, you know that there is post-operative care after the final stitches are put in,” Gondek said in Saturday’s video.
“Just because your stitches are done doesn’t mean the journey is over.”
She said that the construction sites had now been “stitched together”, filled and paved and that the water workers were now carrying out the “aftercare”.
Michael Thompson, Calgary’s general manager of infrastructure services, said in a news conference later Saturday that while acoustic and pressure monitoring had not identified any problem areas on the line, problems could still arise once flushing is complete and workers restore pressure to the system.
“We are proceeding with caution and prudence. Our team continues to monitor the situation closely and is prepared to respond should any setbacks occur,” Thompson said.
Gondek said that as part of the flushing process, people will be able to see water draining from hydrants and valves. She said the water will be dechlorinated before being returned to the river system.
She also pointed out on Saturday that a processing time of 24 hours was planned for the water quality test.
Almost every day since the pipe burst on June 5, Gondek has been urging the 1.6 million residents of Calgary and surrounding communities to limit their indoor water use by flushing their toilets less often, taking three-minute showers and doing fewer laundry.
The use of water outdoors is prohibited. Residents have been encouraged to use rainwater for their gardens.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 29, 2024.
The Canadian Press
