In an effort to save water, the city of Montreal has shut off non-recirculating decorative fountains as it carries out emergency work on the water system.
Montrealers and city boroughs are asked to reduce their water consumption due to advanced deterioration of one of the city’s key water mains. An inspection revealed a 48-inch water pipe that feeds the McTavish water reservoir is in critical condition. The pipe, under Atwater Ave. between Sherbrooke St. downtown and Workman St. in St-Henri, is one of four pipes that feed the reservoir, one of the main drinking water basins for the city.
After the city published its directive to save water late last month, the borough of Outremont turned off its fountains early last week, with Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie and Villeray–St-Michel–Parc-Extension following suit on Monday and St-Léonard on Tuesday.
Verdun’s and St-Laurent’s decorative fountains are not yet turned on, and the boroughs say they will remain off until further notice.
Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez Ferrada asserted in an executive committee meeting on Wednesday that diminishing water use is important, and Montrealers have a collective responsibility to do so. As an example, she suggested residents hold back on watering plants every day.
The work is underway and will continue to intensify, said city councillor Claude Pinard at Wednesday’s executive committee meeting.
Water consumption unchanged
According to Alan DeSousa, the city councillor in charge of water infrastructure, Montreal’s water consumption has held steady at around 1.1 to 1.2 billion litres per day since the city issued its directive to restrict water use. He says the current levels are similar to levels before the announcement was made, and never came close to the limit of 1.4 billion litres per day.
Ideally, usage won’t reach the limit of 1.4 billion litres per day in order to not deplete supply amid the water main upgrade.
Given the expected intensification of water use with the recent warm weather, DeSousa says the unchanged use levels are a good thing.
“We know that the warm weather is coming,” DeSousa said in an interview, which normally sees a spike in water use with filling pools, turning on fountains and watering plants.
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Westmount follows suit
The City of Westmount is similarly calling upon its residents and businesses to cut back water use.
“The City of Westmount is aligning with the Ville de Montréal’s directives to support the regional effort to reduce peak drinking water demand and relieve pressure on the water supply system while the McTavish supply corridor is operating with reduced redundancy,” Westmount wrote in an announcement on Wednesday.
Westmount is implementing its own water-saving measures, including:
Limits on watering.
Emergency water main repairs will be prioritized as needed.
Suspending preventive sewer flushing.
Coordinating operating schedules of city water parks, including Westmount, Stayner, and Prince Albert Parks.
Shutting down decorative fountains.
Suspending the continuous filling of the King George Park pond, and the refilling of the Westmount Park pond.
With files from René Bruemmer.
Leora Schertzer is a reporter at the Montreal Gazette who thrives on the chase. Whether it’s producing a documentary about sewage or investigating a Nazi gold scandal, it’s the novelty and adrenaline that keep her in this challenging industry. Send her tips at lschertzer@postmedia.com.
lschertzer@postmedia.com