The City of Calgary is keeping water bans in place despite all fixes being completed recently.

The city released a statement on Facebook expressing concern about residents using too much water, saying its newly repaired system remains unstable.

“While the Bearspaw south feeder main has been repaired, we are gradually lifting restrictions to make sure water supply can meet demand,” a statement reads.

The reason Calgarians are currently rationing water is due to a single critical water main that was so interconnected and essential that the entire system nearly collapsed after it ruptured, immediately plunging the city into Stage 4 water restrictions and a city-wide fire ban.

Despite the water main being fixed, residents continue to face strict outdoor water restrictions, prohibiting hoses, sprinklers, and filling fountains or pools. Only watering gardens with a can is allowed. Public outdoor pools and spray parks are exempt from these restrictions.

The city plans to resume daily updates on the water system’s status on Wednesday.

On Monday, Calgary’s water usage was 540 million litres, up from Sunday’s 504 million litres.

“We’re making progress on stabilizing the water system, but we need to stay in Stage 3 restrictions for now,” stated the City of Calgary on Facebook.

Temporary restrictions leading to long-term control

While the current restrictions on outdoor water use may be understandable given the situation, Gondek’s City Council has revealed that they plan to control individuals’ water use permanently, using the current crisis to achieve their goal of a 30% water reduction within 30 years.