Calgary officials have raised concerns about excessive water consumption while ongoing tests are conducted on a recently repaired water main that burst at the end of last month. According to city authorities, Calgarians used slightly over 500 million liters of water on Sunday, exceeding the sustainable threshold by about 20 million liters. The water main, responsible for transporting around 60% of the city’s drinkable water, experienced its second major rupture in less than two years.
Although the pipe was repaired towards the end of last week, residents are urged to cut back on water usage as testing is carried out to ensure its reliability. If the testing process proves successful, the city’s infrastructure services general manager anticipates the pipe to be back in operation within the next few days. Sue Henry, head of Calgary’s emergency management agency, emphasized the significance of conserving water, suggesting simple measures like shorter showers and reduced toilet flushing.
At a press briefing on Monday, Henry stressed the collective impact of individual efforts, noting that small actions can yield substantial results when practiced by the city’s 1.7 million inhabitants. She highlighted that residential households are responsible for 60% of water consumption, underscoring the importance of each person’s contribution towards water conservation efforts.
