City of Calgary warns against excessive outdoor water use amid climbing temperatures
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'We're closely monitoring river and weather conditions and watching the impacts of sustained heat and water demands,' said Nicole Newton, the city's manager of natural environment and adaptation.
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'On Calgary's hottest days, every effort to manage outdoor water use when watering lawns and yards helps maintain a reliable water supply for everyone.'
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No water restrictions are currently in effect, but the city is asking Calgarians to limit outdoor water use by shortening watering times or skipping a watering day, watering during late evening or early morning to limit evaporation, utilizing a rain barrel and keeping grass longer.
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For those attending the Stampede or partaking in other outdoor activities, the city encourages drinking lots of water and taking breaks in the shade.
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Currently, a prolonged heat wave is not expected and rain is predicted throughout the week — but forecasts can change, so the city is taking pre-emptive measures.
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'We're hopeful that temperatures ease up and a prolonged heat wave doesn't materialize,' Newton said. 'We'll continue to keep Calgarians informed if anything changes.'
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Earlier this year, Environment Canada predicted a hotter-than-average summer in Alberta, with average temperatures reaching 23.5 C in July and 23.1 C in August.
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Last year, the Bearspaw south feeder main rupture resulted in months of water restrictions, and the summer of 2023 also saw an extended period of Stage 1 restrictions.
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Drought-related restrictions may be becoming the norm for Calgarians. Last year, the city considered implementing seasonal restrictions as a pre-emptive measure, but the idea was scrapped this spring.
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Matthew John, a senior communications strategist at Enmax, said energy usage tends to be high on hot summer days, peaking in the evenings when most people get home from work, but so far consumption levels are 'nothing to be worried about.'
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'Enmax works closely with the AESO (Alberta Electric System Operator) to maintain reliability and avoid temporary outages,' John said. 'Power conservation efforts during peak hours of 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. can help by reducing demand on the system.'
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