Extreme water rationing in Canadian city after burst pipe June 7, 2024

No showers or baths

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Extreme water rationing in Canadian city after burst pipe

No showers or baths, washing dishes or watering gardens - Calgary, in western Canada, ordered extreme water rationing across the city on Thursday after a major water pipe burst.

A “critical water supply alert” was issued to cell phones and broadcasters, warning that water levels had “reached a critical state”, affecting the city's ability to supply residents and be ready for fire emergencies.

The notice ordered all homes and businesses in the city of 1.4 million inhabitants to conserve water.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek recommended “skipping a shower or a bathtub or a load of dishes or laundry”.

Images on social media and television showed motorists and cyclists passing through flooded streets due to the breach. Portable toilets were set up and bottled water was being distributed.

"Every drop of water will count until the repair is done. We need everyone in the city to pull together,” said Sue Henry, head of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, at a press conference.

The cause of the burst pipe was not immediately known. Henry said the repair could take a “long period”.

The province of Alberta is facing a drought, but the Bow River, from which Calgary draws its water, has seen improved conditions this spring.

amc/bgs