Alberta’s environment minister says it’s not an emergency yet, but a deep snowpack and heavy spring rains may be needed to avoid serious water problems in the new year. Doug Vaessen explains.
Calgary lifts outdoor water restrictions, encourages residents to be 'efficient'
Calgary is lifting city-wide outdoor water restrictions put into place this summer. The Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions were declared on Aug. 15 amid dry conditions and record-low natural flow levels on the Bow and Elbow rivers. At the time, the city said it was an important measure to help sustain Calgary’s water supply in the Glenmore Reservoir.
Calgary lifts its outdoor water restrictions as cold weather expected to reduce use
The City of Calgary says it is lifting its outdoor water restrictions, but it's still asking residents to use water wisely. Officials say the restrictions, which have been in effect for two months, will be removed Tuesday. They were implemented in mid-August due to record low flows in the Bow and Elbow rivers that supply the city and other downstream communities across the Prairies.
Town of Cochrane says reservoir levels no longer critically low
The Town of Cochrane says its reservoir levels are no longer critically low. In a statement Wednesday night, the town said water conservation efforts and water hauling from Rocky View County and Calgary are making a difference. But more than a dozen homes have no water as repairs continue on ruptured lines. A handful of businesses are also cut off.
Calgary says drinking water remains safe following sewage discharge upstream
Calgary officials are monitoring the city’s water supply following a sewer pipe leak in a municipality upstream on the Bow River, but the city says its tap water remains safe to drink. Alberta issued a biological hazard advisory late Saturday, stating a main sewer line break within the Town of Cochrane was causing an overland sewage discharge into the Bow at a bridge along Highway 22.
New river channel breathes life into Inglewood Bird Sanctuary
A new channel carrying river water to the lagoon in the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary is expected to revitalize a key wildlife habitat. The southeast park was heavily damaged by the 2013 flood on the Bow River. Since then, there have been cleanups and a rebuilding of the park infrastructure. A study was done to come up with ways to revitalize the area and enhance things like flood and erosion control. The plan included constructing a new channel that carries water from the Bow to the sanctuary's lagoon.
Summer's over, but Calgary still has water restrictions in place. Here's why
While the outdoor watering restrictions implemented in Calgary on Aug. 15 have already saved an estimated 1.1 billion litres of water, they aren't going away any time soon, say city officials. In order to get through what climate models are predicting to be a dry winter, the City of Calgary is planning to keep outdoor water restrictions in place for the time being, to prevent water stores from dropping too low come spring.
Is the tap water in Calgary stinky? Yes. Is it safe to drink? Also yes
If your tap water tastes or smells a little off — don't panic. Some Calgarians are experiencing a funny taste or smell in their water, particularly those in the north part of the city. Mark Crowdis, manager of water quality with the city, said it's because of geosmin, a harmless compound which can be found in the late summer and early fall.
Why Calgary's drinking water is tasting icky
You may wonder why your water is suddenly tasting mouldy. This unpleasant taste may follow you into the shower, your workplace, gym or college campus. You may have also been losing sleep over thoughts of contaminated water affecting your health. But the reality is nowhere near as dangerous as it seems. City officials say the cause of your worry is geosmin, a “harmless” naturally occurring carbon compound that usually makes its way into Calgary’s reservoirs in late summer or fall.
Here are some of the biggest E. coli O157 outbreaks in Canada
An outbreak of E. coli infections at several Calgary daycares has infected more than 260 people, most of them children. It's not the first major outbreak of the food-borne illness, which is caused by bacteria that live in the feces of animals and is carried to humans through undercooked meat, unpasteurized food or contaminated water. The E. coli variant known as 0157 is often the most virulent and can cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, which affects the kidneys and the ability of blood to clot.
Amid drought conditions, Calgary restricts outdoor water use for homes and businesses
Calgarians’ outdoor water use is being limited to two hours per week as the city faces continued drought conditions, officials announced Tuesday. It’s the first time the city has imposed such restrictions due to dry conditions, with water flows in the Bow River at their lowest level since 1911 and the Elbow River since 2000, said Nicole Newton, the city’s manager of natural environment and adaptation.
Low river levels in Calgary spark concerns
Despite recent rainfall over Calgary, conditions are still drier than usual, leading to concerns over low water flows in the region. "The flows in both the Bow and Elbow Rivers continue to be well below normal for this time of year due to the low snowpacks and early snowmelt in the Bow and Elbow River Basins, as well as ongoing dry conditions," the City of Calgary said in a statement Friday. "Reservoirs upstream of Calgary are currently filling and the Glenmore Reservoir is being held at full supply level to proactively manage water supply in anticipation of a hot, dry summer."
Calgary hikers faced waist-high water as flooded N.S. park evacuated
A couple from Calgary say they're still drying out after being evacuated from a Nova Scotia park this week. Carala and Terence Jellema are experienced backcountry hikers who said they were visiting Cape Chignecto Provincial Park this week for their first time. They had a five-day hike planned and started Sunday. The couple said they pushed through waist-high water Monday, fast-moving rivers and log jams on the way to the cabin they had rented.
It's been 10 years since the Big Flood. How the changing climate is shaping life in Calgary
In the decade since the Big Flood of 2013, Calgary has seen a number of extreme weather events and scorching, smoky summer days. Four Calgary disasters are included in the Insurance Bureau of Canada's Top 10 list of costliest years for insured losses in Canada — three since the flood, the fourth occurring the year before. The past decade has seen a surprise September snowfall in 2014, a devastating hailstorm in 2020 that resulted in $1.2 billion in damages, and a sweltering and deadly heat dome in the summer of 2021. A number of "catastrophic" weather events have been recorded in almost every year since June 2013, resulting in billions of dollars in damages.
Hot and dry summer could affect Calgary's water levels
The beginning of June in Calgary has been hot and dry, and that could have an affect on the city’s water supply through summer. Environment Canada and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says Calgary has come into the summer season with dryer than normal conditions — spring 2023 ended as the fifth driest spring on record.
Watermain break prompts boil water advisory for 3 Calgary communities
Alberta Health Services has ordered Calgary to issue a boil water advisory for three communities, effective immediately. The advisory applies to Silverado, Yorkville and Belmont until further notice. A watermain break Thursday afternoon disrupted water supply to a large portion of those communities at the far southwest corner of the city, and while water has been restored to most homes, the city says the advisory has been issued out of an abundance of caution.
Boil water advisory in effect for 3 Calgary communities
Three southwest Calgary communities are under a boil water advisory due to a watermain break Thursday afternoon at a nearby construction site. It appears as though an excavator ruptured a pipe, resulting in a large pool of water flooding a portion of the site. Alberta Health Services (AHS) says residents in Silverado, Yorkville, and Belmont are advised to bring tap water to a rolling boil for at least one minute before consumption.
Calgary-based biosand filter organization celebrating 30 years of providing clean water
"You have a layer of sand that is specifically sifted so that it's the right size and the right mix," Meyers said. "Then, you pour your water in and the water that goes in it actually creates a microbiological layer and that's the part that's special about it. This microbiological layer, it consumes all the bad organisms that would make you sick."
Alberta Energy Regulator issues environmental protection order after earthquake study finds industry link
The Alberta Energy Regulator announced on Thursday it issued an environmental protection order for a Calgary-based oil and gas company. The order comes after a joint study from the University of Alberta and Stanford University found an industry link between in situ bitumen recovery and the earthquakes that shook the Peace River region last November.
City tackles more than 1,000 service requests as water pools near storm drains
Jamie Ruff says he received an upsetting call from his wife last week. In a bid to avoid a large pool of water covering a sidewalk in Marda Loop, near 35th Avenue and 20th Street S.W., she'd climbed into a snowbank and mistakenly fallen in, drenching her clothes in the process. Ruff immediately called the city. The buildup was coming from a blocked storm drain, and as temperatures warm and the snow blanketing the city continues to melt, the run-off had nowhere to go.