Four more non-potable water collection sites added; Calgary 16 Ave NW lanes open up

Four more sites to collect non-potable water to use for gardening and other uses have been added on top of the two sites made available for Calgarians Sunday, city officials said.

The addition of the extra locations follows the Ogden Boat Launch and West Baker Park Boat Launch water sites being made available at around noon.

“We want to remind you only to take what you need. It’s a temporary fix,” Mayor Jyoti Gondek said in the morning update.

“It’s not intended for large-scale water collection, but just as a short-term solution, so you can get some water to your gardens and to your plants.”

She also reminds Calgarians the water is not treated and is unsafe for consumption, so says not to fill up containers for drinking use.

Calgary Emergency Management Agency Deputy Chief Coby Dueer says the four sites are going to open up in the city’s four quadrants, and those will be at the Genesis Centre, Ambrose University, SpyHill Landing, and Bishop O’Byrne Senior High School.

#YYC, we are providing river water to you. We know these outdoor water restrictions have been challenging, especially for your gardens and outdoor plants. Non-potable river water will be available to all Calgarians, for free starting today. Learn more

— City of Calgary (@cityofcalgary) June 23, 2024

On top of needing permits from the Alberta government to pull from the river, Dueer says there were safety concerns with people collecting the river water.

“When you think about how much water weighs … walking on the river rock rocks, we do not want people slipping and falling, especially with those heavier weights,” he explained.

“So definitely this is an opportunity for Calgarians to get water easier, much easier. The safety is one of the key pieces for sure.”

Dueer says people must bring their own containers and can take up to 25 gallons or 100 litres of water to ensure fairness.

The water can be used to water gardens, vegetables, flowers, and outdoor and indoor plants; but also, can be used for hand washing so long as it has been boiled for one minute.

It can also be used for cleaning that doesn’t involve surfaces or dishes in contact with food.

“We expect these sites to be busy so please stay in your vehicle until it’s your turn to fill up,” he said. “Be aware of the vehicle and foot traffic around you.”

He says there will be a host to fill from a trailer with city staff there to assist, but adds that staff are not permitted to load containers into vehicles “due to safety reasons.”

More information on non-potable water use can be found here.

Meanwhile, water use for Saturday was 451 million litres, well below the 480 million litre threshold.

“That was the first time in three days that we were able to get it down to this number,” Gondek said.

“I know you had to dig a little deeper to find extra ways to conserve water, and that was fantastic.”

As of Saturday, 8,684 calls have been made to 311. Of those calls, 2,528 were for water misuse calls to 311, with 637 verbal warnings have been issued, and 15 violation tickets issued.

Around 196 calls for service about the fire ban have resulted in 20 written warnings, 78 verbal warnings, and five violation tickets.

Section of 16 Avenue opening up

Dueer says a section of the westbound lane along 16 Avenue NW from 49 Street to Home Road will open on Monday.

The city repaved the road after work done on the original site of the feedermain break finished earlier in the week.

“Our final inspection yesterday (Saturday) showed no signs of damage,” he said.

“This is a milestone and will ease traffic somewhat as vehicles go now or can now go westbound as well as to eastbound lanes that reopened earlier this week.”

However, there is still a road closure around the active repair zone.

“But I know this is an encouraging sign to Calgarians that we are actively working to get our services and our transportation back to normal as quickly and as safely as possible,” Dueer said.

The following is a list of other areas still affected by repairs:

• 16 Avenue NW will be closed in both directions from 46 Street NW and 45 Street NW.
• 16 Avenue NW will be closed in both directions from 43 Street NW to Bowness Road NW.
• East/West traffic will be detoured onto Bowness Road. Expect delays.
• Eastbound detour starts at 46 Street to Bowness Road and re-enters 16 Avenue at the Shaganappi Trail interchange.

Businesses struggle during water shortage and repairs

Montgomery businesses have been struggling financially, and the mayor is encouraging residents to explore the businesses and restaurants in the area.

She says many have been experiencing the “lowest sales numbers they’ve seen in a very, very long time.”

“If you are driving by the area on a detour, or you’re looking for something to do on this sunny Sunday, I would really encourage you to consider stopping by some of the shops, restaurants, and cafes in Montgomery,” Gondek said.

“They could use your business and I think you might find some pretty cool stuff here.”

Gondek says “Things are still looking pretty good” for the water supply to normalize by the July 5 target.

This comes after the city said Wednesday that the original three-to-five-week timeline given last Friday is closer to being on the lower end of the timeline — which happens to land on the first day of the Calgary Stampede.

When it comes to repairs, Calgary’s general infrastructure manager Michael Thompson says crews are making good progress on the repairs on the hotspots, including the one that wasn’t removed.

“We’re not removing the damaged pipe, and instead, we’re reinforcing the existing pipe,” he said.

“The reinforcing steel was installed Friday and Saturday and the concrete placement was completed yesterday evening. We’re now curing the concrete prior to removing the forms and backfilling that section.”

Thompson explains crews are almost done installing and welding the adaptors, and adds new steel pipe segments are arriving Sunday. Crews should be able to start welding them to the adaptors by the end of the day.

He says the city will be revealing the next steps on bringing water use back to normal during the week to come.

The city said Saturday that the damaged pipe has been completely removed and the city is moving towards installing the new parts.

Sections of the removed pipe are being stored so they can become part of the independent review.

The city has called for a third-party investigation into what caused the rupture along the Bearspaw south feedermain. A section of the pipe burst on June 5 and caused flooding along 16 Avenue NW near Home Road.

All outdoor watering is banned and people have been urged to reduce toilet flushes, take shorter showers and do fewer loads of laundry and dishes.

More information on the repair process can be found on the city’s website.

This story is being updated with the latest information. Listen to CityNews 660 for the latest on Calgary’s water emergency.