Calgary declares state of emergency amid prolonged water main repairs

By The Canadian Press on June 15, 2024.

CALGARY – The City of Calgary has declared a state of local emergency after official revealed Friday that work to repair a burst water main is expected to take three to five more weeks.

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says she signed the paperwork to declare the emergency on Saturday morning following the investigation of the broken pipe, which uncovered five more areas in need of repairs.

She says the declaration grants the city powers it ordinarily wouldn’t have, such as allowing city workers to enter private property to expedite repairs.

To help speed up that process, Gondek says the city has been speaking with municipalities across the continent, along with the private sector, to source parts, equipment and expertise.

Gondek reiterated a plea for residents and businesses to reduce water usage during the crisis, saying the city reached its maximum threshold of 480 million litres used on Friday.

Calgary, a city of 1.6 million people, and some nearby municipalities including Airdrie and Chestermere, have been under a combination of mandatory and voluntary water cutback rules since the major water line ruptured in Calgary’s northwest on June 5.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 15, 2024.

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