Calgary’s mayor has issued a stark warning over the city’s water shortage, caused by a massive water main break last week.
Jeromy Farkas took to social media on Monday to warn that the water shortage is entering “loss-of-life territory, where firefighting and emergency response may be compromised” if city residents fail to cut back on water usage.
The Bearspaw South Feeder Main ruptured on Dec. 30, forcing the city to ask Calgary residents to conserve water while repairs are being done on the pipe that supplies 60 per cent of the treated water for the city of 1.6 million people.
Boil water advisories were also issued for close to 3,000 residents of several neighbourhoods near the break along 16 Avenue Northwest, which makes up part of the Trans Canada Highway through Calgary.
While the city lifted the boil water advisories on Sunday, Farkas says water use remains “unsustainable” after dropping temporarily to “sustainable” levels late last week.
Repairs on the water main continue, with the city sharing a video on social media Sunday evening showing one of the severely damaged sections of pipe being pulled from the ground by city crews.
Several roads in the area, including westbound 16 Avenue, also remain closed, although one lane has been reopened for eastbound traffic.
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The mayor is scheduled to provide an update on the water main repairs on Monday afternoon, but on social media, he describes the water usage situation as “serious” and says a reduction in water usage is needed to “protect lives and keep essential services running.”
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