Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek has announced that repairs on a water main have progressed sufficiently to lift the restrictions on indoor water use in the city.
The state of emergency in Calgary, which was declared following a water main break on June 5, has been in effect for several weeks. Crews discovered five additional “hot spots” that required immediate attention. The city implemented a ban on outdoor water use on June 15, closed swimming pools, and urged residents to conserve water indoors.
Ms. Gondek reported that repairs are progressing well.
“Turbidity levels are decreasing and moving in the right direction. With production safely increasing at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant, we can now carry out crucial maintenance at the Glenmore water treatment plant,” she explained. She added that the Bearspaw main is now operating at 50% capacity, and crews are monitoring the system for any irregularities.
Michael Thompson, the General Manager of Infrastructure Services, announced that indoor pools and car washes will reopen on July 2, but he advised residents to proceed with caution.
“This is a significant milestone after nearly a month of Calgarians practicing water conservation measures at home and in businesses,” he stated at the press conference. “As we ease restrictions, we urge Calgarians to gradually resume their water usage indoors.”
Residents are advised to spread out their indoor water usage, such as doing one load of laundry per day instead of all at once, according to Mr. Thompson.
“The system is responding positively so far, and no irregularities have been reported,” he said, noting that outdoor water restrictions will remain in place for the time being.
During the morning update, Ms. Gondek was joined by provincial Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver. They emphasized their collaborative efforts over the past few weeks to address the water issue.
“Our emergency management cabinet maintained regular communication with the mayor and her team,” Mr. McIver remarked. “This level of communication was crucial in addressing the community’s immediate needs for communication, support, and guidance.”
He expressed gratitude to Calgary residents and neighboring communities for their patience and support.
“Your understanding has been invaluable,” he said. “Together, we have shown that collaboration and determination can overcome any obstacle in the face of adversity.”
Ms. Gondek also commended residents for their water-saving efforts.
“Calgary, I am truly amazed by the dedication shown by all of you over the past 26 days. For nearly a month, you have gone above and beyond,” she said. “You ensured that we had safe drinking water during this crisis, and that our essential workers had the water they needed to perform their duties.”
Review Planned
Ms. Gondek mentioned that the city has acknowledged the mistakes made in recent weeks, including initial communication shortcomings during the crisis, which will be thoroughly examined in an external review. The review aims to keep residents and government officials informed about the causes of the incident.
“I have requested a comprehensive third-party review of the incident, which will investigate what led to the pipe failure,” she explained. “This review will also address communication issues that resulted in delays in providing necessary information to Calgarians and neighboring communities.”
Doug Lett and Andrew Chen contributed to this article.
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