Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek told citizens “we must do better” at conserving water on Friday, saying that she might implement indoor water restrictions while workers are still repairing a water main break from last week.
On top of the already existing outdoor restrictions, Gondek said it’s possible indoor restrictions will come soon, as the city reached its threshold of 480 million litres of water on Thursday.
“If we can’t do our part by banding together there may be some restrictions that come into place,” she said.
“Use the spare sheets, use the guest sheets, don’t do that load if you don’t need to. And if you’re not loving the dwindling look of your hair, grab some dry shampoo at the drug store, and you can skip a shave and rock a beard.”
Under normal circumstances, Calgarians use 650 million litres per day. But for the time being, Gondek told citizens that dirty cars should be considered “a sign of solidarity.”
Current water restrictions
In terms of restrictions, while the repairs are being done, Calgarians can no longer water lawns or gardens; fill outdoor pools or hot tubs; wash outdoor surfaces, including windows, sidewalks, driveways, etc.; fill fountains; wash cars in their driveways; or use water for construction purposes.
A fine of $3,000 awaits anyone who violates these restrictions.
Additionally, Calgary City Council is asking people to take additional measures to reduce indoor water use, such as taking shorter or intermittent showers, reducing toilet flushes, intermittently turning off the tap during activities like washing dishes or brushing teeth, and reducing the amount of laundry done.
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.
Calgary’s committee is bringing these changes in by making subtle tweaks to existing bylaws. If the City Council approves the changes, Calgarians will only be allowed to use their sprinklers during pre-designated times and days, with more regulations soon to follow.
They plan to vote on these changes next Tuesday.
