We’re now into the second week of a full-blown water crisis that has gripped Calgary, a crisis that has brought about restrictions on water consumption for over a million people and has altered the way we live and operate.
It is normal to feel angry, disappointed, or maybe even confused about what is going on. It has been accepted that the communication coming out of the City of Calgary was confusing at the start of the crisis. No one seemed to know what to say or how to say it, but once the messaging was under control, it was fairly consistent.
It has been a struggle to reduce water consumption. Now that it is required to watch how and when you use water, it has become painfully clear how much waste there is when the tap is left on for a couple of seconds longer.
For the last week, City halls in Calgary, Airdrie, Chestemere and Strathmore have asked that residents cut back on their water, saying that it needs to happen to stave off total water infrastructure collapse.
But Stampede is coming and a big decision is coming with it.
Individual residents have to cut back on showers and can't run their dishwashers, but as of now, a week-long party that attracts hundreds of thousands of people will surely send the City’s water levels skyrocketing, is all systems go.
There is still time for the City of Calgary to change course, play it safe, and cancel. Or, maybe the fixes will be done right in time and everything can go back to normal.
Or maybe the fixes don’t get done on time and the party starts anyway. If that were the case, the City of Calgary would see their legitimate authority to compel public adherence slide down the drain.
