Accessibility and Access Keys [0]
Emma Jackson|Jun 27, 2011 – 5:28 PM
Exactly three months to the day since the outdoor water ban began in south Ottawa, the City of Ottawa has lifted the ban completely – more than a month ahead of schedule.
“When we first announced the ban we said we would do everything we could to end the ban as soon as possible,” said Mayor Jim Watson on Monday, June 27, at Claudette Cain Park in Riverside South. “Well, today we have made good on our promise, and I’m very happy to report that, effective today, the water ban is over.”
Lawn watering, car washing and pool top-ups can resume; splash pads will assume their normal full-time schedules only a few days late, and sports fields maintenance will resume.
The voluntary mitigation measures that were in place to help residents cope will end with the lifting of the ban as well. June 27 is the last day for a free pool top-up from the city, as those with appointments at later dates can now use their hose. Rain barrel rebates will apply to any rain barrel purchased before June 30.
“Never has the city faced water restrictions on a scale of this magnitude. You came together as a community and handled this with optimism and understanding,” Watson said. “You bought rain barrels, filled up containers at water depots and worked together to find creative ways to reduce your water use. You recognized the importance of keeping drinking water clean and safe, and your efforts have paid off.”
Barrhaven Coun. Jan Harder said she was incredibly relieved to receive the news on Monday morning that water safety tests on the new water main along Woodroffe Avenue came back positive, despite a few minor testing setbacks over the past few weeks.
“(Summer) is the time that my residents look forward to,” Harder said. “I had some very angry people; I was very angry. I felt like I was letting them down. So it’s been very important to get us to today.”
“On a day like today, you just want to spread the news. It’s the best day of the summer.”
Gloucester South-Nepean Coun. Steve Desroches was also on hand for the celebrations with his two sons, who along with a number of other kids at the park, delighted in soaking the mayor and other dignitaries who gathered at the splash pad for the announcement.
“I’m thrilled with the news, and I think the community’s very happy,” Desroches said as he sheltered from the water falling all around the splash pad. “It’s been tough on the community but people have been using their rain barrels, they’ve been taking advantage of the water trucks, and I’m really proud of the community and how it’s come together. We’re all looking forward to a return to normal.”
The ban was put in place at the end of April for residents in Barrhaven, Riverside South and parts of Manotick because of a broken water main on Woodroffe Avenue that had blown in January. As summer has by far the highest water use of any season, backup pipes that had been installed for the winter would not have been able to sustain normal summer water use, and ran the risk of depressurizing and contaminating the drinking water supply. The ban had to be imposed to reduce the summer demand on the backup pipes.
“If we had had a failure in our system, clearly losing our safe drinking water would have been insurmountable,” said Harder, who added she believes residents have picked up some conservation lessons from the experience as well. “Our residents have learned so much. They went into it kicking and screaming, but in the last month I’ve heard so many people say, ‘This is a pain, but boy this rain barrel isn’t hard to do, and I’m going to continue doing it.’ And I think we’re going to see a whole bunch of conservation from this.”
Woodroffe Avenue will still have traffic disruptions for several weeks as the construction and road work is completed.
Story here