Third wire snap found along Calgary feeder main as work continues to stabilize pipe

Another issue has been found along the major water main that burst in Calgary more than a month ago as work continues to re-stabilize the pipe following repairs.

In an afternoon update on Thursday, city officials say a third wire snap was detected along the Bearspaw South feeder main, but the snap does not mean another break is imminent.

Calgary’s infrastructure manager Francois Bouchart says the additional snap does indicate there are other areas of concern along the pipe that need long-term rehab and suggests the pipe is under some stress as pressure increases.

“The wire coils around each 16-foot segment of pipe approximately 350 times, and the snaps were spread across the three locations across the feeder main,” he says. “We know we will need to create a medium to long-term rehabilitation plan for these sections.”

“The three additional snaps are not immediate cause for concern, however, they do show the pipe is under some stress under the current flow condtions.”

Bouchart says they will need to cautiously increase the flow in the pipe before lifting outdoor water restrictions further. The feeder main is currently running at 55 per cent of its normal capacity.

Sprinklers and hoses would have made it difficult for the city to meet demand on Wednesday, according to Bouchart, and they are working to meet the immediate needs of residents amid the heat wave.

On Wednesday, the city said they are allowing all outdoor pools to be filled, including private backyard and kiddie pools, with ongoing hot temperatures in the forecast.

Officials say the biggest barrier holding up the move to Stage 2 restrictions is about meeting water demands during spikes in use.

“We are continuing to proceed with caution and yesterday we saw an example of why this is important,” Bouchart said. “We believe our water demand would have been 70 to 100 million litres higher.”

“With the current water flow rate through the feeder main it would have been hard for us to meet the higher demand.”

Water usage increases again as heat wave peaks

Water usage across the city increase to 560 million litres on Wednesday thanks to record-breaking heat. On Tuesday, Calgary used 550 million litres of water, up from 540 million litres on Monday and 507 million litres the day before.

Bouchart says this was expected and the city was able to meet the demand. He says they anticipate a drop in usage over the coming days as temperatures cool off.

“We had a gradual increase in use from Thursday, Friday and through the weekend,” he says. “On Monday, with the increased heat we started to see a spike in use.”

“This is a normal pattern during a heat wave.”

Stage 3 restrictions remain

Under the current Stage 3 Outdoor Water Restrictions, some outdoor potable water use is allowed. This includes:

• Watering plants with a watering can or container using water from the tap.
• Using a sprinkler or hose to water new sod (for up to 21 days after it is planted) or lawn seed (for up to 45 days after it is planted).
• Water use for construction purposes, like dust suppression, compaction, concrete mixing, watering of new trees and shrubs that are part of a new build and other construction-related activities.
• Water use for home renovation projects, like washing driveways and other surfaces to prepare for paving/sealing, or power-washing a home prior to painting.

Outdoor pools, spray parks, and wading pools are resuming service. These facilities were given an exemption from Stage 3 water restrictions as they create safe spaces for people looking for relief from the heat.

For the latest on the heat wave, water restrictions, and more, tune in to CityNews 660.