Voluntary water restriction lifted

A voluntary restriction that asked city water customers to avoid watering lawns and gardens was short-lived.

Utility officials said Monday that a request to conserve water over the weekend was lifted after being implemented to improve quality of water in the South Saskatchewan River.

Customers in the city, Dunmore, Seven Persons, Desert Blume and Irvine, as well as members of the Roytal and Green Valley Water Co-ops were asked to manage their water use to avoid stress on the treatment plant.

With murky water in the river resulting from spring runoff and snow melt, the plant has been operating at above normal levels to filter out silt.

“We appreciate the community’s willingness to restrict outdoor water usage to help safeguard the community’s drinking water supply,” said plant manager John Michalopoulos. “Their co-operation, as well as the efforts of staff to manage water quality, was critical during this challenging period.”

Operations were adjusted last week to deal with the high levels of particles taken in from the river.

The department reports there continues to be some discolouration of tap water, but stress water is regularly tested before it enters the distribution system to ensure it meets all safe consumption requirements.