Water restored for hundreds in Calgary’s Beltline after main break

A significant water main break impacted hundreds of residents in Calgary’s Beltline neighbourhood on Tuesday.

City crews responded to the break along 15 Avenue SW between 7 and 8 street shortly after 1 p.m.

The city says around 500 homes and 10 businesses were impacted by the service disruption. Water was restored around 5:30 p.m.

Half a dozen water wagons were on site to assist impacted residents while there was no water.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek acknowledge the new break in the Beltline while announcing the city’s move to Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions during an afternoon update.

“To have this water main break happen during a record-breaking heat wave is terrible for those involved,” she said. “Crews are already deployed to the area to work on that.”

Calgary’s water infrastructure is still recovering from a rupture to a major feeder main in the city’s northwest last month.

“The water team did expect to see more breaks as the water system was being restabilized,” says Gondek. “We need to continue the work of addressing our aging infrastructure.”

Officials said Monday they would keep Stage 2 water restrictions in place after issues were found with the raw water intake pumps at the Bearspaw and Glenmore treatment plants. Those issued have now been resolved which led to the move to Stage 1 on Tuesday.

Last week, a smaller water break was reported near the site of wear the Bearspaw South feeder main burst on June 5. Gondek says the break, unrelated to the feeder main, was repaired and water service was restored Sunday.