New pipe in place after feeder main burst; water use in Calgary remains high

A new pipe is in place along the Bearspaw South Feeder main after a major rupture last week, but the city says it will still be days before the pipe returns to service — continuing calls for residents to conserve water.

The renewed warning comes as Calgary continues to grapple with the aftermath of the water‑main break on Dec. 30, which has left the system vulnerable and operating under Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions.

Calgarians used 504 million litres of water on Friday, a small drop from the 508 million litres reported on Thursday. It remains well above the city’s sustainable threshold of 485 million litres, despite the urgent calls to conserve.

“We’ve seen encouraging signs of reduced consumption but are still operating in a vulnerable position,” said Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Susan Henry in a statement. “Using more precious water out of the Glenmore Reservoir could impact our current and future capacity to respond to emergencies.”

According to Henry, the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant is currently producing triple its normal output, while the reservoir is draining faster than it can refill. To bring the system out of the red zone, she is urging every Calgarian to cut daily use by 30 litres.

Recommended conservation steps include flushing only when necessary, limiting showers to three minutes, and running dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads.

The City of Calgary issued a region‑wide emergency alert Wednesday, warning that water supply levels remain “critical.” The advisory applies not only to Calgary but also to Airdrie, Strathmore, Chestermere, and the Tsuut’ina Nation—communities connected to Calgary’s water network.

New pipe in place after latest break

City officials provided an update Friday confirming that repair work on the ruptured pipe has been completed.

A replacement section is now installed, the site is being backfilled, and road reconstruction is underway. However, the pipe is still days away from returning to service.

Crews began slowly refilling the pipe with water Friday, a process expected to take several days. Once filled, the system must undergo water‑quality testing and stabilization before it can be fully reactivated.

Stage 4 restrictions will remain in place until that happens, according to city officials.

Officials cautioned that as pressure increases during the restoration process, additional breaks are possible. Work is already underway to protect nearby communities from potential flooding should another rupture occur.

The crisis has renewed scrutiny of the city’s long‑term infrastructure planning. A report released Wednesday into the 2024 Bearspaw South Feeder Main break highlighted governance and organizational issues within the city and revealed that council had been aware of concerns with the pipe as far back as 2004.

The report noted several missed opportunities to pursue proactive repairs or replacement.