Calgary’s outdoor pools and spray parks will soon open, with hand watering of plants and gardens now permitted under an easing of citywide water restrictions announced Saturday.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek said the decision — one month after strict, stage 4 rules were imposed following the rupture of the Bearspaw feeder main — was made after recent water demand was measured against available supply.
The move to stage 3 restrictions will allow outdoor watering with hand-held containers. Contractors can also use water for some construction operations such as dust suppression.
With temperatures expected to approach 30C over the next week, exemptions were also granted for outdoor pools and spray parks to open, beginning Sunday. The citywide fire ban was also lifted.
“Our water system capacity is in a good place for now,” said Gondek, adding more time is needed to consider further changes.
“We need to get through this one stage at a time,” said Gondek. “It remains to be seen when we will get to that stage.”
The use of outdoor hoses and sprinklers remains prohibited under stage 3 restrictions.
Ongoing monitoring of the feeder main — now operating at 55 per cent capacity and over 80 per cent of normal pressure — has not turned up any issues.
City of Calgary spray parks will begin re-opening Sunday at 1 p.m., with outdoor pools to follow over the next week.
Gondek said 492 million litres of water was used Friday, almost 20 per cent below normal demand.
The latest changes will also see the seven residential river water collection stations set up across the city shut down Saturday afternoon. The Ogden site will remain open for commercial use.
“We know this has been incredibly difficult for many of our companies and many of our industry partners,” Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Sue Henry said Saturday.
Street sweeping will also return to full operations Monday.