City of Calgary eases outdoor water restrictions as repaired pipe brought on stream

Calgary continues to relax its outdoor water restrictions as a repaired water main gradually returns to full capacity.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek says residents can now use sprinklers to water their lawns for one hour a week.

People can also water their gardens, plants and shrubs at any time, as long as they use a sprayer with a trigger or a soaker hose with an automatic shut-off.

Calgarians were given the go-ahead for normal indoor water use on July 2.

Infrastructure manager Michael Thompson says the new pipe is now up to 70 per cent capacity.

He says no problems have been experienced as workers bring the section up to full pressure.

Gondek says the city may loosen restrictions further as early as Monday, bringing them to a level the city normally experiences during the summer months.

“I’m relieved, council is relieved and all the people who have worked tirelessly around the clock are all relieved,” she said Thursday.

Restrictions were put in place for the city of 1.6 million people and the surrounding communities of Chestermere, Airdrie, and Tsuut’ina Nation after the water main that supplies 60 per cent of the region’s drinking water ruptured June 5.

Crews scrambled to repair the breach. The work was further complicated when five more weak spots in the pipe were discovered and needed to be fixed.

The repairs prompted the city to declare a state of emergency in order to gain access to private property to make repairs. For several days, residents close to the break in northwest Calgary were ordered to boil their water.

Calgarians were asked to reduce their indoor water use by 25 per cent for a month, to keep enough in reserve for hospitals and firefighters.

They were urged to not flush toilets as often, take shorter showers and collect rainwater for watering plants.

Outdoor washing of cars and windows and the filling of fountains are still not allowed.

1:52 Calgary mayor says ‘next 72 hours are critical’ to restoring normal water service

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