Calgary Businesses Prepare for Stage 4 Water Restrictions During Critical Repairs
Starting Monday, March 9, Calgary and surrounding areas will enter Stage 4 water restrictions for a four-week period as the city undertakes essential repairs on the deteriorating South Bearspaw feeder main. Businesses across the city are already implementing measures to significantly reduce their water consumption during this critical time.
Critical Infrastructure Repairs Necessitate Restrictions
From March 9 to April 9, the restrictions will be in effect due to a planned shutdown for reinforcement work along nine segments of the feeder main that have shown substantial signs of deterioration in recent inspections. The city emphasizes that it is crucial for both residents and businesses to minimize water usage during this period.
The Glenmore Water Treatment Plant will be supplying most of the city and region, operating at maximum capacity throughout the repairs. Calgarians are being asked to implement water-saving measures to ensure the city stays within 500 million litres of water usage per day. Exceeding this threshold increases risks of insufficient water for firefighting, low water pressure, potential boil water advisories, or even complete water treatment system failure.
Brewery Implements Advanced Water Recycling Systems
For Bow River Brewing, co-owner and co-founder Ian Binmore expressed that while they are prepared, they remain concerned about the impact of water restrictions on their operations. "We're very fortunate in that we've already worked our processes and procedures along with automation," Binmore explained.
The brewery has implemented an innovative system where water used to cool a batch of beer is warmed and then reused as hot water in the next batch. "That and a number of processes, procedures and automation all means that we have some of the lowest water use of any craft brewery to produce our award-winning craft beers," Binmore added.
Through this automation process, their brewery can fill tanks with water during nighttime hours when city demand is lowest. "Again, we're going to be minimizing the usage to the greatest extent possible and we will be taking our water during the periods of lowest demand so that there's not a flow impact," he said.
YMCA Calgary Adjusts Operations to Conserve Water
YMCA Calgary will be taking significant steps to reduce water use in their facilities while minimizing impacts on programs and prioritizing health and safety. They are implementing several key measures:
- Asking guests to limit showers to under three minutes, as this represents the largest source of water use in their facilities
- Operating high water use amenities only during peak hours
- Reducing towel laundry by 50 percent
- Adjusting housekeeping and maintenance procedures to decrease water consumption
Additionally, the YMCA will reduce the flooding frequency of ice rinks where safe and possible, consistent with guidance from the City of Calgary and Hockey Calgary, alongside communications with ice rental groups.
Business Adaptation and Community Response
The return to Stage 4 water restrictions marks another period of adjustment for Calgary businesses that rely heavily on water for their operations. Many establishments have developed contingency plans following previous water restriction periods, allowing them to respond more effectively to the current situation.
The four-week restriction period represents a significant challenge for water-intensive businesses, but the coordinated response from both commercial enterprises and municipal authorities demonstrates Calgary's commitment to maintaining essential services while addressing critical infrastructure needs.
