Achi news desk-
The City of Calgary has announced that it will implement a water reduction advisory, effective immediately, as a way to encourage Calgarians to voluntarily reduce their water use.
“At the City of Calgary, we have continued to reduce our water use and are looking for more ways to save water in our day-to-day operations,” said Nicole Newton, manager of natural environment and adaptation.
“We strongly advise Calgarians to join us in this effort to help manage the water supply in the Bow and Elbow rivers. Calgarians can start now by reducing water and theirs as they begin their yard work this spring.”
Recommended actions for residents include ensuring they always check the weather forecast and avoiding watering if rain is expected.
The city also advised watering lawns only in the early morning or late evening to help “make every drop count” and to begin limiting outdoor watering to a maximum of four hours per week.
“It’s a good, responsible way to guide your gardening efforts this year in Calgary’s dry climate and helps Calgarians prepare for drier conditions and when water restrictions are in place later this season,” added Newton.
In June, the city will introduce changes to its water utility bylaw and provide an update on Calgary’s drought response as dry conditions continue in southern Alberta.
When the bylaw is passed, plans will be put in place at that time which will include appropriate water scheduling steps and work with businesses to help them understand the requirements.
Moving forward, the city says it will continue to monitor many drought indicators, particularly how quickly the mountain snow melts and how much spring rain the Calgary region receives to inform water restrictions on come
This comes on the heels of the Alberta Government announcing that it is finalizing water sharing agreements, including one for the Bow River Basin.
If the Bow River water sharing agreement is implemented this season, in response to conditions in the Bow River Basin, Calgary has committed to implementing drought response measures that could collectively achieve a five to 10 percent reduction in overall water use .
Since February, Alberta’s drought management team has been holding discussions with major water license holders.
They have been developing water sharing agreements for the Red Deer River, the Bow River and the Old Man River.
This comes as wildfire season progresses in Alberta, with increased risk due to drought.
As of April 19, 48 wildfires are burning in the province, according to the Alberta Wildfire status dashboard.
Forty-four are under control and four are being held.
Over 130 wildfires have been extinguished this season.
Of those, people suspect 70 percent started.
