Calgary "at risk" of running out of water, officials urge public action

Calgary is at risk of running out of water and officials are urging the public to follow restrictions and reduce water consumption drastically today.

The restrictions were put in place yesterday after a massive water main break in Bowness, but they haven’t done enough to quell the problem.

The City of Calgary says, at this rate, the city could run out of water and is “currently using more water than it can produce,” according to a press release.

It says while there was a big reduction in water use throughout the day, it greatly increased later in the afternoon and evening when people got home from work.

In addition to the mandatory outdoor restrictions like avoiding watering the lawn and filling up decorative fixtures, the City is also asking the public to use 25% less water than they did yesterday. This could mean “shaving a few minutes off your shower, skipping a few flushes, and holding off on a load of laundry.”

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The City adds crews have been working around the clock and are hopeful they will be able to discover the cause of the break today.

In the meantime, Calgarians have been frantically looking for ways to keep up with the restrictions, including turning to their local grocery stores, with bottled water flying off the shelves.