Calgary is easing some outdoor water restrictions more than a month after a major water main break. Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek waves to the crowds as she rides a horse during the Calgary Stampede parade in Calgary, Friday, July 5, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh
Calgary is easing some outdoor water restrictions more than a month after a major water main break that triggered a local state of emergency and forced officials to curtail water use in the city.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek says the city’s water supply is now at a healthy enough level that Calgarians can begin watering outdoor plants by hand with buckets of tap water.
Washing exterior windows, cars, and using sprinklers is still off limits, but with hot weather expected, public outdoor pools and spray parks can now reopen.
Emergency Management Agency Chief Sue Henry says the local fire department is confident it has enough water to respond to emergencies, so the city-wide ban on fire pits is being lifted as well.
The announcements come after Calgary ended its state of emergency over the water crisis earlier this week.
River water stations for residents to pick up non-potable water are closing, but one remains open for commercial and industrial use.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2024.
