‘Déjà vu’ for Bowness, Montgomery businesses with another round of water restrictions

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas says residents have “stepped up” in the past 24 hours, helping the city pull back into a sustainable water‑use zone as crews continue working to repair the latest break on the 16th Avenue feeder main.

In a social media update Friday morning, Farkas reported that Calgarians collectively reduced consumption to 473 million litres—enough to stabilize the system for now.

“We stepped up to conserve water, and it made a real difference,” he wrote. “We’re now back in the sustainable zone—but we’re not out of the woods yet.”

The city remains under pressure after the Bearspaw South Feeder Main ruptured on Dec. 30, marking the second major break in less than two years. Officials are urging residents to continue conservation measures, including taking three‑minute showers and running the dishwasher and washing machine only when full.

Officials say crews have made steady progress at the break site since Thursday and have cleared the site of water so they can assess the pipe to determine the cause of the break and expedite repair plans.

While citywide conservation efforts appear to be working, businesses in Bowness and Montgomery are once again feeling the strain of water advisories, detours, and uncertainty.

“This is a literal nightmare for Bowness—it’s déjà vu all over again,” said Kellie Freeman, executive director of the Mainstreet Bowness Business Improvement Area, reflecting the frustration shared by many along 16 Avenue NW who have endured repeated disruptions since the major break in 2024.

Freeman says the community is exhausted.

“Our Bowness businesses have felt the impact for all of 2024 and a lot of 2025,” she said. “Just as things are starting to look and feel great again, the last day of 2025, we’re hit with it again.”

Freeman notes that the impact is somewhat less severe this time.

“There’s good news for Bowness—at this point we do not have a boil water advisory, and businesses do have water,” she said.

“People are waiting for that shoe to drop. When will we have to boil water? When will we no longer have access to water? People definitely do have that PTSD.”

With road closures on 16 Avenue and traffic rerouted, foot traffic in the area has noticeably declined. To counter the slowdown, some business owners are offering discounts and promotions to draw customers back.

“What we’re trying to do now is come up with a plan,” Freeman said. “How do we get people to want to stop in and shop at the businesses during this time?”

At Angel’s Diner, manager Brooke Wetzel says the team feels more prepared than during the 2024 crisis.

“The silver lining is that we’ve already been through this before, so now we kind of know what we’re up against,” she said.

City officials, meanwhile, continue investigating why the feeder main has failed twice in such a short period. Michael Thompson, general manager of infrastructure services, said the cause of the latest rupture remains unclear.

As repair crews work around the clock, the mayor is urging residents to stay vigilant.

“Please keep conserving as crews continue their work,” Farkas said.

More information on the water main break can be found here.