At its daily briefing to update people on the ongoing repairs to the Bearspaw Water Feeder Main, City of Calgary officials implored area residents to reduce their output, citing figures that indicate if water usage is not reduced, it will run out.
General Manager of Infrastructure Services for the City of Calgary, Michael Thompson, said the City is concerned about the current reserve water levels. “Without water restrictions,” he said. “We would have run out of water right.”
With the upcoming week’s hot weather, Thompson said the City is concerned about people using outdoor and indoor water. “If we continue at the current rate,” Thompson said. “We will run out of water before repairs are complete.”
Thompson added that area residents and businesses are being asked to “safely” reduce their water usage by 25 per cent.
Community Services Inspector Cheryl Townsend said the City received 76 calls from residents informing them about outdoor sprinklers. Since Monday, Townsend said the City has received 278 calls reporting on outdoor water usage. She added that the City is actively following up on the calls.
Townsend said that the City has also been made aware of people going door-to-door masquerading as City inspectors to enter people’s homes on the pretence of inspecting water usage, and then using the opportunity to steal from unsuspected homeowners.
However, Townsend added that the information received via a “third party” has not been confirmed by the City or any actual homeowner. The City does not do unannounced home inspections for water usage, said Townsend, and any more that receives such a call at the door should not let those people into their homes.
Francois Bouchart, the Director of Capital Priorities and Investment for the City, said that all active work sites where repairs are being done are to be completed on schedule. If all proceeds to plan, all active work sites will be done by September 3, with an additional group of work sites to begin excavation along 16th Avenue on September 5.
