Calgary officially moves to Stage 2 water restrictions

Calgarians are now able to resume outdoor water use as city officials made the shift to Stage 2 water restrictions.

City officials made the announcement on Thursday morning, which means residents will be able to "provide more care to their gardens."

Officials said the change comes after another pump was turned on at the Bearspaw water treatment facility, allowing more water to flow through the repaired feeder main.

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"We have not detected any new wire snaps or any unusual activity," Mayor Jyoti Gondek said Thursday.

"Our city team is confident that the pipe has been able to manage the increased speed of water flow."

The city's general manager of infrastructure services Michael Thompson said this means all Calgarians will be able to use a sprinkler, soaker hose or in-ground sprinkler system for up to one hour a week according to a set schedule.

"This sprinkler schedule is determined by address," he said.

"Houses that have even numbers will use one schedule and houses that have odd numbers will use another."

Thompson said it's wise to use that hour in either morning or evening to avoid the hottest part of the day, which could be more useful for plants.

The city says even-numbered houses can use sprinklers on Wednesday or Saturday while odd-numbered houses can use them on Thursday or Sunday.

Residents will also be able to water their gardens, shrubs and plants with a hose fitted with a trigger spray nozzle at any time.

Drip irrigation with an automatic shut-off are also allowed.

"We will monitor on Friday and throughout the weekend to see how our system performs and to ensure that our supply is enough to meet the increased demand," Thompson said.

"If all continues to go well we may be able to move to Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions on Monday."

Gondek said the move to Stage 2 came from the hard work of city crews and the sacrifices that all Calgarians have made over the past several weeks.

"I am relieved that we have taken one more giant step forward and are able to share good news with you today. I cannot emphasize enough how much effort has gone into getting us to this point," she said.

"The effort by city teams by local contractors and trades and other private sector partners, the number of sleepless nights and the family dinners that they gave up to ensure that our water flow could be restored is incredible."

She said a third-party review into the water main break is still being prepared, but the work won't stop there.

"We'll be doing everything we can to ensure that the health of our infrastructure going forward is managed in a comprehensive manner," Gondek said.

"We know that aging infrastructure issues are not unique to Calgary. Similar water incidents have been heard in Atlanta, Denver and very recently our fellow Canadians in Quebec City. And frankly, Calgary is on the front lines of an infrastructure crisis. And I just can't sugarcoat that.

"This is a legacy issue that spans back decades."

Further details about Calgary's current water restrictions can be found online.