‘Too early’ to lift water restrictions, Calgary officials say

globalnews.ca:

Emergency officials in Calgary say it’s still too early to determine when water restrictions will be lifted following a feeder main break in the city’s water system.

Calgary water services director Nancy Mackay joined forces with Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Emergency Management Agency chief Susan Henry on Sunday afternoon to update the public on the break.

Mackay told reporters crews began removing the damaged section of pipe Saturday. Once sections are removed and the repair is installed, crews will flush the pipe to ensure the water is safe to drink.

Flushing could take a few days, she said.

“It remains too early to say when the boil water advisory or the restrictions will need to be lifted,” Mackay said.

Water supply concerns began Wednesday after a massive feeder main break in the Montgomery neighbourhood of northwest Calgary, which triggered a boil-water advisory for Bowness residents.

The advisory remains in effect, as does a water supply alert for Airdrie, Strathmore and Chestermere. Water wagons have been set up in Bowness to support residents.

Calgarians living elsewhere do not need to boil water, but are still asked to conserve water.

Officials have described the feeder main, which carries water from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant, as a “critical” water line. The damage has “severely impacted” the city’s ability to move water.

Gondek said ahead of Sunday’s briefing the city needs to do a better job outlining what the situation means for Calgarians.

“There’s still people out there that think this is some sort of joke. Some think it’s a conspiracy theory. It is not,” she said Sunday morning.

“If we don’t practice water conservation, we will run out of water — not because it doesn’t exist at the treatment plant. We