Calgary’s Bearspaw feeder main replacement project remains on schedule
Posted Jun 15, 2026 3:02 pm.
Calgary’s Bearspaw South Feeder Main replacement remains on track, with officials reporting steady progress and confirming new interim leadership for the city’s water system.
The city provided the update on Monday that crews are hitting milestones on the project that were expected at this point in the year.
The first phase of work, Stage A, is now 51 per cent complete. Crews are using a two-pass microtunneling method to install a concrete carrier pipe before sliding the new steel water pipe inside it. The concrete portion is 55 per cent finished.
Microtunneling shafts at 16 Avenue and 44 Street NW continue to be excavated and prepared, shafts at 16 Avenue and Home Road remain on schedule, and construction is progressing at the shaft near Sarcee Trail on 29 Avenue NW.
Stage B began last month using an open‑cut method, where trenches are dug from the surface. The first cross‑connection work at 77 Street and 83 Street NW between 33 and 34 Avenue NW is complete, and the affected roads have been repaved and reopened.
This week, crews will begin preparing the first blocks along 34 Avenue NW for installation of the new feeder main.
The new steel pipe for the project is expected to begin arriving in Calgary within a week. Crews will install it rapidly in the open trenches once its on site, with additional shipments arriving in the coming weeks to support both Stage A and Stage B.
The update comes as the City continues work to replace the aging feeder main that most recently ruptured in late December. City officials have noted the existing feeder main remains vulnerable to another break until the replacement line is operational at the end of the year.
Also on Monday, the city announced the appointment of Michael Thompson as acting chief operating officer of Water Utility, effective June 22.
The role was created in response to findings from the independent review panel, which called for stronger operational accountability, integration, and oversight across Calgary’s water system.
As acting COO, Thompson will focus on improving system reliability and performance, strengthening integration across planning, capital delivery, and operations, establishing clear end‑to‑end accountability for water services, and advancing implementation of the panel’s recommendations.
