EPCOR sees spikes in water use during Oilers intermissions

It seems like a lot of people in Edmonton are committed Oilers fans and don’t want to miss a minute of NHL playoff action.

Water utility provider EPCOR has been noticing a bathroom break trend during games.

“Over the first series of playoffs, we were seeing spikes in intermissions of water use,” said Vicki Campbell, director of EPCOR water treatment plants.

She said during the L.A. Kings series, EPCOR saw a spike of 40 megalitres and then with the Vancouver Canucks, the spike doubled to 80 megalitres.

“Last night was an interesting surprise where during the intermissions, the rates continued to increase and then between the first and second overtime, it went up to 120 (megalitres),” Campbell said.

“So, everyone was holding it and probably couldn’t hold it anymore, is our theory.”

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A lot of EPCOR employees are big Oilers fans, she said, and the operations love data so they started looking at the water trends during games. The data showed huge spikes in use between periods.

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“We don’t usually see everyone going at once like that,” Campbell said.

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She admitted the spikes in demand are difficult on the systems but now that EPCOR is aware, preparations are being made.

“Our operators are now, at the end of period, ramping up the pumps now and expecting it…. They’re making sure there’s enough water moved around the system, they’re making sure the pumps are ramped up to enough of a speed to handle the flow and so now they’re on to the trends of the city.”

She added it would be easier on the system if the Oilers won in regulation.

“We’re not going to tell people when they can and cannot go, but it would be easier on our pumps if we won during regular time.”

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EPCOR has looked at water-use trends before and similar spikes appear during large sporting events like the Super Bowl, Olympic hockey and even some Elks games, Campbell said.

“This is, by far, surpassing some of the trends we have in the past.”

This is not a situation that would see Edmonton run out of water, Campbell said.

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