Friday, January 9, 2026
Ongoing work in Calgary on a damaged feeder main which broke open on Dec. 30 is showing progress, according to a City of Calgary update.
The damaged section of the broken pipe has been removed, the update stated, and new pipe is now in place and being welded.
Crews have also started backfilling the area and will then start repairing the road above the pipe “once we complete all the critical steps to restore water service,” the update stated.
“The mandatory Stage 4 water restrictions will remain in place until the pipe is fully restored and service is back to normal,” it said.
Restoring the service to the feeder main will require filling the feeder main, water quality testing, system stabilization and easing out of water conservation.
A seven kilometre section of pipe is currently empty and must be refilled, the update stated, and “water will be supplied from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant, not the Glenmore Reservoir, to ensure we have enough water to get through to spring runoff.”
In order to manage risk as the pipe fills and pressure increases, water will be supplied from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant instead of the Glenmore Reservoir to ensure enough water is available to get through to spring runoff.
“Once the feeder main is filled, we will work with Alberta Health Services and Environment and Protected Areas to perform water testing to ensure the water quality meets or exceeds safety and quality standards. This step will take an additional 24 hours to complete,” the update said.
Pumps will then be activated at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant and the feeder main all be reconnected to the larger water distribution network.
City of Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Susan Henry cautioned the city is in a “vulnerable position” as continued high water use puts the community at risk.
“Calgary’s water system is under significant strain, and while we’ve seen encouraging signs of reduced consumption, we are still operating with very limited capacity to respond to any unexpected events,” Henry said.
On Wednesday, Jan. 7, Calgarians used 507 million litres (ML) of water, above the target zone of 485 ML, the update stated.
