Stage 2 allows households to use sprinklers for up to one hour per week, on a set schedule
Calgarians can now water their lawns on a set schedule, after city officials lifted Stage 3 outdoor watering restrictions on Thursday morning.
The announcement marks the first time since the rupture of a critical feeder main on June 5 that Calgarians have been allowed to use their sprinkler systems.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek said she was “relieved” to announce the move to Stage 2, in the midst of an intense heat wave that has seen daily high temperatures soar above 30 C.
“It means you’re able to provide more care for your gardens, your flowers and your trees,” she said at a morning press conference. “Most importantly, it means Calgary’s water infrastructure has held up as we increase the speed of flow in the pipes from the Bearspaw water treatment facility.”
Pressurization of the Bearspaw south feeder main has been increasing incrementally since six sections of the water pipeline were repaired in June. One of those segments was the spot of the rupture, while the other five were later identified as “hot spots” that required immediate and urgent attention.
Gondek said no new issues – or wire snaps that would indicate the pipe is under stress – have been detected since the city turned on an additional pump at the water treatment plant on Monday, upping the pressure of the repaired Bearspaw south feeder main from 55 to 70 per cent of its maximum flow.
“Our city team is confident the pipe has been able to manage the increased speed of water flow,” she said.
What does Stage 2 mean?
Stage 2 watering restrictions allow for up to one hour per week of residential sprinkler or soaker hose use, on a schedule determined by one’s house address.
Households with even-numbered addresses can use their sprinkler systems for up to one hour on Wednesday or Saturday, while residences with odd-numbered addresses can do so on Thursday or Sunday.
Thompson said sprinkler use is encouraged in the morning or late evening to reduce water loss via evaporation.
Stage 2 also allows households to use a hose fitted with a trigger spray nozzle or drip irrigation with automatic shut-off at any time; to water gardens or plants using a watering can or other container, to water new grass with a sprinkler or irrigation system; and water use related to the application of pesticides and fertilizer.
Compliance with the Stage 2 watering schedule will operate on a complaints-based system, Gondek said, though she stressed that bylaw officers will take an education-first approach.
Additionally, water trucks can once again be filled with treated water for use on trees and shrubs.
The riverside water pick-up stations that were set up amid Stage 4 restrictions are also now closed.
Thompson reiterated that if all goes well and the repaired feeder main continues to hold up, the city intends move from Stage 2 to Stage 1 on Monday.
“We’ll monitor on Friday and throughout the weekend to see how our system performs and to ensure our supply is enough to meet the increased demand,” he said.
Stage 1 watering would allow households to water outdoors for up to two hours per week.
Longer-term plan for pipe’s future maintenance
Also on Thursday, Thompson reminded that the city is starting to develop a medium- to long-term rehabilitation plan to address “ongoing issues” with the Bearspaw south feeder main.
In addition to the ruptured segment and five hot spots, acoustic monitoring has detected four snaps of the reinforcement wire that tightly coils around interior sections of the pipeline.
Thompson said some of the long-term plans to reinforce the feeder main could include placing a liner inside the existing pipe, reinforcing the pipe’s exterior, or replacing additional segments of pipe that have lower structural capacity.
Data from a high-tech monitoring device known as a “pipe diver” are expected before the end of the month that will help inform the city’s decisions, he added.
Gondek said below-ground infrastructure is a “legacy” issue that spans back decades, but clearly requires more attention than it has been given.
“We know that aging infrastructure issues are not unique to Calgary,” she said, noting similar water incidents have occurred in Atlanta, Denver and Quebec City.
“(Infrastructure) is not easily addressed and it’s clearly been ignored or written off as too expensive by politicians and governments for some time.”