Forget about showers, baths, dishes or laundry. These are the instructions given Thursday, June 6 to the 1.4 million residents of the city of Calgary, in Western Canada, after the rupture of a major pipe which led to extreme rationing of water for an indefinite period.
A “critical alert on water supply” was sent at dawn to residents’ cell phones, warning that water levels had “reaches a critical state” affecting the city’s ability to supply the population and be prepared in the event of a fire. Mayor Jyoti Gondek implored homes and businesses to conserve water until the situation is resolved.
In the neighborhood where the rupture took place, vehicles had to drive amid torrential downpours of water pouring down the streets, while residents were instructed to boil water to drink or brush their teeth.
Repair could take “a long time”
“Every drop of water will count until the repair is made. All residents of the city must stick together”said Sue Henry, head of Calgary’s emergency management agency, during a press conference.
The cause of the rupture of the pipe is still unknown but already, the city reserves are having difficulty filling normally, said the city, which estimates that the repair could take ” a lot of time “.
The province of Alberta is currently facing a significant drought, but the Bow River, from which Calgary draws its water, saw its conditions improve this spring, according to authorities.