Major Water Main Break in Bowness Area

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Driving into work this morning (shocking, I know) I was puzzled why one of the info signs on Deerfoot was displaying the fire ban, and not the water situation.

Bizarre messaging indeed...

But...could one not deduce that promoting the Fire Ban would, in its own way, reduce the use of scarce water?

No fires, no need to put them out, people can use that water as opposed to hosing down nature?

Perhaps its 5D Chess?

[Bigtime]

Well yes, but you would think the bigger problem of potentially running out of water should also get some "screen time". Why can't it alternate displaying both?

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Looch City

Surely a city this size with this many experts aren't just going to sit around and let running water run out?

I'm just sitting back and letting the smarter people take charge, but yeah I agree that if we are truly "critical and running out" then ####ing do something serious.

Exactly. I think the article below is the only messaging Ive seen that actually provides any context on why we'd run out as well as the fact that the issue is that the Bearspaw plant is disconnected from the grid.

https://calgaryherald.com/news/calga...ne-week-repair

From what I gather, the actual risk of running out isn't right now, its the fact we're entirely reliant on the Glenmore plant & reservoir, so if we are draining that quicker than we normally would - when we come to the summer & there is a drought, reservoir levels could become critically low.

Again, city is just screaming we might run out of water but not explaining those points. City should be the ones explaining that and also talking about how/why we would run out.

[Rhett44]

The messaging is terrible. Why take this seriously when all businesses are able to use all the water they want?

They wake us up with an alert at 6am Thursday telling us that we can't shower. Then later that day announce that it's only outdoor restrictions in effect, indoor is just try to use less water. Then after announcing this, they are shocked that suddenly people are using more water again that evening.

I just don't get it at all. And rotating water outages would not work, because you know for the few hours people can use water, they will be going all out to shower or do laundry.

Why not just tell people to just use half the water they usually do? If you shower for 10 minutes, shower for 5. If you wash the dishes once a week, just use some plastic dishes temporarily etc.

[Locke]

And I was planning on filling my Hot Tub this weekend.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well yes, but you would think the bigger problem of potentially running out of water should also get some "screen time". Why can't it alternate displaying both?

Wooa, easy there. Do you think that kind of advanced technology exists? Alternating messages?

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Wooa, easy there. Do you think that kind of advanced technology exists? Alternating messages?

Silly Hall still running 28.8 dial-up.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well yes, but you would think the bigger problem of potentially running out of water should also get some "screen time". Why can't it alternate displaying both?

This is the same city council that made declaring a climate emergency their number 1 priority in office.

There's plenty of evidence they have no idea how to order their priorities by things that are most important/within their control.

[Wormius]

You could spoon feed this to them, explain demand vs supply as if they were infants,
and if people see water still coming out of their taps, they’ll think the City must be lying about it.

My first instinct when seeing any asinine commentaries that lack any critical thinking on FB or Twitter is to just block them and not give them any more thought.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well yes, but you would think the bigger problem of potentially running out of water should also get some "screen time". Why can't it alternate displaying both?

To raise money they should Auction off control of those signs for a Day.

I'd consider that.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Ducay

The city has done a piss-poor job of explaining why water levels are at a critical level, which leads to people not taking it seriously.

If a feeder main is down, that is unrelated to the actual supply, that is just transmission across the city and has a more limited impact (vs. city wide). But if they came out and said "hey this feeder main provides all the supply from the Bearspaw treatment plant to the system, so we're down an entire plant", then people might appreciate what we're up against a bit more.

Right now people see the spring water levels in the reservoir and rivers and think the city is lying

It's probably more like 50% of Bearspaw that they can't get into the system:

Spoiler!

I wonder if there is any literature about citizen response in crisis situation like this? I suspect there is a threshold for severity of messaging where even a lot of good-hearted people switch from making sacrifices for the greater good to taking the contrary action to protect their family (filling pots and buckets in this case).

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Exactly. I think the article below is the only messaging Ive seen that actually provides any context on why we'd run out as well as the fact that the issue is that the Bearspaw plant is disconnected from the grid.

https://calgaryherald.com/news/calga...ne-week-repair

From what I gather, the actual risk of running out isn't right now, its the fact we're entirely reliant on the Glenmore plant & reservoir, so if we are draining that quicker than we normally would - when we come to the summer & there is a drought, reservoir levels could become critically low.

Again, city is just screaming we might run out of water but not explaining those points. City should be the ones explaining that and also talking about how/why we would run out.

The city has cisterns all over, underground. They are like water towers holding storage and releasing it to neighbourhoods. Because of the break, their isn't enough capacity in the remaining system to move the water from the Bearspaw plant into these cisterns. So the levels drop through the day as consumption is greater than refill speed, and at night they can gain a bit back, but it sounds like they aren't refilling enough to offset the next days drawdown, so once those drain, that is when you lose water pressure, then water, then everything needs to be flushed for days before it is safe to drink. So if a cistern gets emptied, it's boil water advisory time.


This is my understanding from what I've read over the past few days. If any experts want to correct any of that, have at 'er.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

The messaging is terrible. Why take this seriously when all businesses are able to use all the water they want?

They wake us up with an alert at 6am Thursday telling us that we can't shower. Then later that day announce that it's only outdoor restrictions in effect, indoor is just try to use less water. Then after announcing this, they are shocked that suddenly people are using more water again that evening.

I just don't get it at all. And rotating water outages would not work, because you know for the few hours people can use water, they will be going all out to shower or do laundry.

Why not just tell people to just use half the water they usually do? If you shower for 10 minutes, shower for 5. If you wash the dishes once a week, just use some plastic dishes temporarily etc.

Businesses aren’t allowed to use all of the water they want.

They did tell people to cut back on their shower times. Are people really that dumb? Cut your water use by 25% it’s not hard math.

[FurnaceFace]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Driving into work this morning (shocking, I know) I was puzzled why one of the info signs on Deerfoot was displaying the fire ban, and not the water situation.

Bizarre messaging indeed...

Isn’t Deerfoot a provincial road therefore I’d assume the sign is also provincially operated.

[PepsiFree]

I’ve done my part. In California for a week.

Gonna shower every day using that sweet American Freedom water.

[Rhett44]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Businesses aren’t allowed to use all of the water they want.

They did tell people to cut back on their shower times. Are people really that dumb? Cut your water use by 25% it’s not hard math.

Really, they aren't allowed to use all the water they want?

Which businesses have been made to cut back on water use?

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

I wonder if there will be any impact on hemodialysis patients as each treatment uses around 500 liters of water. That may not seem like a lot but that adds up very quickly when you consider that there are thousands of people using hemodialysis in Calgary, not including those in the hospital.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Really, they aren't allowed to use all the water they want?

Which businesses have been made to cut back on water use?

Our local non-City of Calgary rec centre has closed its pools and showers.

From City website:

https://www.calgary.ca/emergencies/c...june-2024.html

Affected businesses

Businesses using large volumes of non-essential water, such as laundromats and car washes, are being asked to reduce water use.

Businesses using water to deliver a product or service that is life sustaining for people, animals and plants are exempt.

Other exemptions include any businesses that must use water to meet health code standards, such as hospitals and restaurants.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Mean Mr. Mustard

I wonder if there will be any impact on hemodialysis patients as each treatment uses around 500 liters of water. That may not seem like a lot but that adds up very quickly when you consider that there are thousands of people using hemodialysis in Calgary, not including those in the hospital.

That seems like it should be the very last thing that gets cut to me.

If you have to close down water to golf courses/car washes/restaurants do that instead.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by Rhett44

Really, they aren't allowed to use all the water they want?

Which businesses have been made to cut back on water use?

Households are pretty much allowed to use all the water they want right now, as long as it isn't obviously visible in their front yard.