Calgary’s water restrictions could end this week
Posted Mar 30, 2026 3:39 pm.
Calgary’s weeks‑long water restrictions may be lifted this week as crews complete major work on the Bearspaw South Feeder Main and prepare to restart the system.
In an update on Monday, officials say the city is moving into the final phase of restoring the feeder main, the pipe that supplies roughly 60 per cent of the city’s treated water to its residents.
Workers finished refilling the feeder main over the weekend, and if all goes according to plan, pumps at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant will be turned on Tuesday morning.
Michael Thompson, the City of Calgary’s general manager of infrastructure services, said restrictions could be lifted as early as Thursday. The timeline for lifting them depends on water‑quality testing.
“We are now sampling and testing water to make sure it meets or exceeds mandatory testing requirements,” Thompson said. “These tests take time and this work is continuing throughout today.”
“Once testing shows that the water is safe, teams will coordinate the opening of valves along the pipe and begin to turn on the pumps.”
Residents may notice cloudy water once the pumps start, but Thompson says the change will be temporary and the water will remain safe to drink.
On Sunday, water use across the city reached 500 million litres, right at the threshold of the ‘green zone.’ The total included 12 million litres used to refill the pipe.
Calgarians have been asked to take shorter showers, reduce toilet flushing, and limit laundry and dishwashing since the feeder main was shut down for reinforcement work. The pipe has ruptured twice since June 2024, prompting multiple rounds of restrictions.
The city confirmed Monday that a planned inspection of the existing feeder main will take place from April 9 to 11 using a pipe diver. The device will travel through the pipe to assess its condition.
Crews will briefly stop water flow to remove the tool, followed by additional water testing before restarting the pumps.
Assuming that process goes well, the city is not expecting water restrictions will be needed until the fall when the pipe will be shut down again when the new replacement pipe gets connected to the water system.
Officials continue to warn the risk of another break to the existing pipe is ongoing.
