West of Montreal, citizens and businesses in the town of Rigaud listened to municpal officials' call to conserve water after an equipment failure downtown left their water reserves at risk of running out.
"The water is still good, it's just that we have problems with the water pressure," said Rigaud's Director of Communications, Marie Andrée Gagnon. "We're asking the citizens to reduce as much as they can so we can keep our reserves and the water that we have in case of an emergency."
Gagnon says experts will be on site on Monday to begin their repair efforts and she expects the work will require two days to complete; three days in a worst-case scenario. That leaves Rigaud residents and busiensses conserving water until Tuesday or Wednesday of this coming week.
"If citizens continue to take as much water as they're used tom it's going to (draw upon) our reserves of water."
Municpal water resreves are set aside for emergency situations such as firefighting.
While the repair work is underway there is a possibility water service could be cut-off in some parts of Rigaud for short periods of time.
Rigaud officials asked residents not to turn on their taps unless it was absolutely necessary.
"So far, citizens have been good. They're using really less water...but they have to keep doing that for the next few days though."
The breakdown is affecting at least five thousand homes and businesses in the heart of Rigeau.