Beginning on August 26, the City of Calgary will once again go into Stage 4 Mandatory Water Use Restrictions. The water use restrictions are expected to last until the end of September. The water use restrictions are returning because significant maintenance is needed on the water feeder main that broke earlier this summer. The main needs to be taken offline so that it can be repaired.

With the main being temporarily taken out of use, the water supply to Calgary will be severely limited. It is crucial that Calgarians use less water during this period to ensure we have enough water for vital activities such as our drinking supply and our fire fighting supply. The maintenance is critical before the winter to ensure a continued supply of water for all of Calgary.

What do the restrictions mean?

Some activities will be temporarily banned. These include:

• Watering of lawns
• Watering of outdoor plants
• Washing vehicles
• Washing outdoor surfaces such as your side walk or exterior of your house
• Filling of pools and decorative water features

 

You can sign up to receive email alerts on the water use restrictions here. And you can learn more about the water main break and the water main maintenance here.

Ways to Reduce Your Water Use

Here are some quick tips to reduce your indoor water usage:

• Flush your toilet less; only flush when needed
• Use a plastic tub or basin to catch your shower water for watering plants
• Take short showers (3 minutes or less)
• Only run the dishwasher when it is full
• Consider doing dishes in a wash basin and using the water to water your plants.
• Only use the washing machine when it is full
• Keep a jug of water in the fridge instead of running the tap until the water is cold

 

Visit Calgary.ca for more tips!