NEWS

RELEASE
Regina, June 8, 2015
News Release

Staged Return-to-Normal Water Usage Effective Midnight Tonight

The City of Regina is implementing a 7 to 14-day staged, return-to-normal water use
plan and asks residents and businesses for their continued support.
The City of Regina has been under voluntary water restrictions since May 25 as a
result of challenges with water supply from Buffalo Pound Lake and the Buffalo
Pound Water Treatment Plant. The plant supplies drinking water to Regina, Moose
Jaw and the surrounding area.
Over the weekend, there has been sufficient improvement in the quantity of water
being produced. This is allowing the City to begin to ease the voluntary water
restrictions. We are asking for residents and businesses to help by slowly returning
to normal water use levels over the next 7 to 14 days.
Residents have been very patient and they have helped us immensely by
voluntarily reducing their water consumption when we asked. This slow return is
critical so we avoid putting too much strain on the water supply and the system that
provides it to us, said Mayor Michael Fougere. We have seen great goodwill from
our residents and businesses. I appreciate it. And, it is important for that to
continue.
With the help of many experts, today, we have a much clearer picture that the
challenges we were facing were directly related to differences in water temperatures
at various levels of the depth within the lake. This was caused by warm weather,
lack of wind to mix the water, temperature fluctuations between daytime and
nighttime and the early algae bloom. To the best of our knowledge, this convergence
of these challenges has never happened before and our plant has experienced
trouble processing water as a result, says Ryan Johnson, Buffalo Pound Water
Treatment Plant manager.
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The situation has now changed in the lake. Where we saw nearly eight degrees of
temperature difference in the lake depths, we have now seen a more stable water
temperature. This, plus solutions like aerating the water, using polymer, and mixers
which will be in the lake this week, are giving us confidence that we can now
manage water demand, says Johnson.
The return to usage plan is outlined below. The City will be using non-potable
water as much as possible as we return to normal.
Due to the conditions of athletic fields, the City is closing all fields for a minimum of
one week. Baseball fields will remain open with use restricted to only regularly
scheduled events. To receive the most up-to-date information on various playing
fields, the public is requested to check Regina.ca.
Over the coming days and weeks, a comprehensive assessment of this incident will
be undertaken. This will include discussion about more permanent options for
reducing water usage by the City of Regina for things like cleaning vehicles.
Staged Return-to-Normal Water Use Plan
The City of Regina asks residents and businesses to follow the plan as outlined
below, and will be doing the same.
Residents

June 9 through 15: Residents may resume hand-watering of gardens and other
landscaping and in the morning (before 6 a.m.) or evening (after 8 p.m.) Limited
use of sprinklers can also be resumed; however, total sprinkler use should not
exceed 20 minutes in a 24-hour period.

June 16 and beyond: Residents may resume normal indoor and outdoor water
use.

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As committed stewards of smart water choices, residents are still encouraged to

practice good water conservation measures, including running full loads in
washing machines and dishwashers and not using water to wash down
driveways and other hard surfaces. There will always be common sense
exceptions to these measures, but these practices reduce household utility bills
and are good for the environment.

Businesses and Institutions

June 9 through 15: Businesses and institutions should begin phasing in normal
water use over the next seven days. Return to normal operations should be
evenly distributed over the course of the next week rather than bringing all
suspended operations back online immediately. As of Monday, June 8 at 2 p.m.,
the City will be contacting major water users to discuss how they can best return
to normal operations.

Where possible, businesses and institutions should avoid resuming suspended

operations during times of peak residential water use which are: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
and 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays.

June 16 and beyond: Businesses and institutions may resume normal water
uses.

Businesses and institutions are still encouraged to practice good water

conservation measures, including looking for ways to reduce water use in their
operations through process and equipment improvements. They are also
encouraged to minimize water use not essential to their primary business
purposes. Examples include introducing drought-tolerant landscaping and
choosing to sweep sidewalks and parking areas rather than spraying them with
water.

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City of Regina
Parks and Open Space Department
A return to normal watering will be phased and will avoid resuming suspended
activities during times of peak residential water use from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
to 8 p.m. on weekdays or during the heat of the day.
June 9-15
Resume full irrigation at Riverside Cemetery (normally uses a non-potable
source, but the quantity of watering has been restricted due to other demands
staff and equipment for non-potable watering).
Resume normal watering of trees in parks, using potable water where required
and non-potable water where possible.
Resume potable irrigation of all athletic fields, phasing in from worst to best
condition and avoiding the heat of the day and periods of peak residential
demand.
Resume irrigation of Lakeview Par 3 Golf Course greens and tee boxes and
Leslie Lawn Bowling Greens with potable water.
Plant new flowers and trees and water to establish (will use non-potable water
instead of potable water, which is normal irrigation).
Start irrigating existing landscaping in Victoria Park (Class A park) and prepare
for sod installation after Day 8.
Note: All athletic fields remain closed to play for a minimum of seven days to allow
the turf to recover. The community and user groups will be notified when normal
use can resume. Watch Regina.ca for more information about field re-openings.
June 16-22
Install and irrigate sod Victoria Park.
Resume pest spraying programs.
Lawn cut sod repairs would resume.
Resume irrigation City Hall (Class A park).
Irrigation of Class B Parks resumes.
Install and irrigate sod City Hall (last priority).
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Community Services Department/Facilities Management Services Department
June 9-15
Outdoor pool filling starts, one at a time, in following order: Wascana Pool
(June 9), Regent Pool (June 10), Massey Pool (June 11), Maple Leaf Pool
(June 12) and Dewdney Pool (June 15).
Non-potable water will be used for dust-control and cleaning for the Red Sox
games this week.
Non-potable water will be used for turf maintenance at Mosaic Stadium.
Five spray pads, one in each zone of the City, will reopen on Friday as follows:
Imperial School, Rick Hansen, South Leisure Centre, Core Ritchie (Gocki Park)
and Glen Elm.
Note: Pool filling will start June 9, with one pool being filled each weekday. Watch
Regina.ca for more information about pool openings as well as which spray pads are
opening for use.
June 16-22
Irrigation of baseball and fastball infields would resume.
Non-potable water will be used to clean Mosaic Stadium for the first home preseason game on June 19.
Regular cleaning, including spring cleaning of arenas, would resume.
Remaining spray pads would reopen over the course of this week.
Water Works Department
June 9-15
Reinstate contractors conducting closed circuit TV capital inspection work.
Jetting program for storm mains will be reinstated to ensure that underground
infrastructure is in good condition for any upcoming storm events (use nonpotable water wherever possible).
Wet well cleaning at lift stations will be reinstated (use non-potable water
wherever possible).
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Note: Jetting and wet well cleaning will only proceed using non-potable water the
first week. A return to normal, potable water use will be re-examined and phased in
for the second week.
June 16-22
Normal water and sewer construction activities will resume. Non-potable water
use will be continued where possible.
Development Services Department
June 9-15
Most normal construction operations will resume, excluding high-water use
activities such as water main testing and flushing.
Water main testing and flushing will occur on a one-off basis with notification
to the Emergency Operations Centre.
The City will work with developers to provide information about return to
normal usage.
June 16-22
Normal construction activities will be resumed.
Fire and Protective Services Department
June 9-15
Maintain conservation level activities.
June 16-22
o Fire training activities involving water may be resumed.
Finance Department
June 9-15
Major customers are being contacted to discuss their plans to return to normal
water use (see above) and good ongoing water conservation practices.
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Roadways & Transportation Department
June 9-15
Street sweeping will resume in a limited way. Non-potable sources will be used
where possible.
Limited hydrovacing may occur. Non-potable sources will be used where
possible.
June 16-22
o Street sweeping will be expanded to more typical operations.
o Full hydrovacing operations will recommence.
o Normal water usage for paving will resume.
o Bridge maintenance will resume.
Note: Hydrovacing will only proceed using non-potable water the first week, unless
it risks contractual penalty or addresses an emergency situation such as damage to
traffic signals that requires repair. A return to normal, potable water use will be reexamined for the second week.
Note: Street sweeping will only proceed using non-potable water the first week.
About 20 per cent of residential street-sweeping program is not complete. There is a
risk that some streets will not be swept this year. Any streets that are not swept and
that are not part of the fall sweep program will be a priority for the 2016 spring
sweep. A return to normal, potable water use will be re-examined for the second
week.

Vehicle Washing Priorities

June 9-15
Maintain vehicle washing at conservation levels. Only vehicles presenting a
health and safety concern will be washed as required. This includes postresponse for fire vehicles, solid waste and sewer vehicles.
No other vehicle washing unless required by unusual circumstances.
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June 16-22
Transit (buses only) and construction vehicles can resume normal washing
over the course of the week as required by vehicle condition.
- 30 Media contact only:
Desirae Bernreuther
Communications Department
306-777-7486

News Releases are available at Regina.ca