Mayor Jyoti Gondek has declared a local state of emergency in Calgary, effective immediately, following ongoing challenges posed by a damaged feeder main that broke ten days ago.
“This is an all-hands-on-deck situation,” Mayor Gondek announced today. She stressed the critical nature of the situation and detailed her communication with Premier Danielle Smith and other provincial leaders about the necessary steps forward.
The feeder main break initially suggested a one-week repair period. However, subsequent investigations revealed extensive damage at five additional locations along the pipeline. Calgarians are now facing a projected three to five-week period before normal water flow is restored.
“The state of local emergency was enacted today to give us permission to go onto private property if we need to, which I think will absolutely be the case if we’re trying to work on five sites at once,” Gondek explained.
Mayor Gondek reiterated the importance of continued water conservation by residents. She encouraged Calgarians to further reduce their water usage, emphasizing actions as simple as flushing toilets less frequently. “If every household in Calgary did one less toilet flush per day, we would save 12 million liters of water,” she highlighted, urging everyone to contribute to the conservation effort.
Commercial and industrial water users have also been asked to cut back on usage. Gondek suggested that businesses allow employees to work from home if possible, to reduce water consumption related to daily commutes and workplace facilities.
Gondek expressed her gratitude to Premier Smith and the provincial government for their support. She has also reached out to the private sector, particularly Alberta’s energy sector, for assistance. “We have a world-leading energy sector and companies ready and willing to discuss solutions,” she noted, emphasizing the collaborative approach being taken to address the crisis.
The Calgary Emergency Management Agency, Chief Sue Henry, activated the municipal emergency plan and opened the Emergency Operations Centre immediately after the break. Henry detailed the extensive coordination efforts with over 60 agency members and partners to manage the situation.
Henry described the break as catastrophic, underscoring the complexity of the repairs. “We need to make sure that we have a smooth path ahead and mitigate as many circumstances as possible,” she said, highlighting the aggressive approach being taken to restore water service.
Calgarians are advised to monitor official city communications for further updates and guidelines on how they can contribute to the water conservation efforts during this critical time.