City Officials Monitoring Conditions Asking Residents To Conserve

Calgary could implement mandatory outdoor water restrictions as early as May

City officials monitoring conditions, asking residents to conserve

By Doug Vaessen, CBC News Posted: Mar 18, 2024 4:00 AM MT

CALGARY — New water restrictions that the City of Calgary will announce Tuesday may mean your grass will no longer be as green this summer.

The city is asking residents to conserve water as it prepares to implement mandatory outdoor water restrictions as early as May.

Depending on the conditions and severity of the water shortage, there are four stages of mandatory outdoor water restrictions that can be enacted.

Stage 1 restrictions would prohibit watering lawns and gardens between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., and would also ban the use of sprinklers and soaker hoses.

Stage 2 restrictions would further restrict watering to once per week, and would also prohibit the use of car washes and filling of swimming pools.

Stage 3 restrictions would ban all non-essential outdoor water use, including watering lawns and gardens, washing cars, and filling swimming pools.

Stage 4 restrictions would be the most severe, and would only allow water to be used for essential purposes, such as drinking, cooking, and bathing.

The city is asking residents to voluntarily restrict their outdoor water usage this spring ahead of permanent water use schedules, which will come into effect on May 1.

The city is also asking residents to report any water leaks or other water waste to 311.

The city's water conservation efforts are part of its Drought Resilience Strategy, which was approved earlier this year.

The strategy includes a number of measures to reduce water use and increase water storage, including:

• Investing in water conservation programs
• Expanding the city's water storage capacity
• Developing new water sources
• Encouraging water-efficient landscaping

The city is also working with other municipalities in the Calgary region to develop a regional water sharing agreement.

The city's water conservation efforts are part of a larger effort to address the challenges of climate change.

Climate change is making droughts more frequent and severe, and is also leading to increased water demand.