Bearspaw feeder main replacement 80% done as Calgary prepares for water restrictions
Posted Sep 24, 2026 11:12 am.
Calgary’s replacement of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main is progressing on schedule, with about 80 per cent of the new pipe now installed as the city prepares for another round of temporary water restrictions.
According to city officials, construction on Stage A of the project, between the Shaganappi Pump Station and 73 Street NW, is largely complete. In Bowness, Stage B is more than halfway finished, with pipe installation completed along seven of the project’s 13 blocks.
“Crews continue to make strong progress across both stages, and we remain on track for the new feeder main to be in service by the end of the year,” said Darren Finney, the City of Calgary’s manager of major projects.
Finney added that 90 per cent of the materials needed to complete the project are now on-site. Crews are restoring roads, sidewalks and property access in areas where construction has wrapped up, while landscaping work is expected to continue through spring 2027.
The city said the existing feeder main will need to be shut down to connect the new pipe to the water network. The work will require temporary Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions, along with indoor water conservation measures.
Commissioning of the new pipe is expected to begin in December. Once the connection work is finished, the restrictions will be lifted, although the new system must still be filled, disinfected and tested before entering full service
City officials also plan targeted repairs this fall on another section of the feeder main along Parkdale Boulevard and Memorial Drive. Inspections found the pipe remains in good overall condition, but identified specific areas requiring proactive repairs to improve long-term reliability.
The replacement project was accelerated following two major feeder-main failures since June 2024.
The first rupture occurred on June 5, 2024, triggering a local state of emergency, boil-water advisories, and indoor and outdoor water restrictions that remained in place for weeks.
The feeder main ruptured again on Dec. 30, 2025, flooding parts of 16 Avenue NW and trapping motorists who required emergency rescues.
Following the second failure, city officials moved to fast-track construction of a permanent replacement pipe designed to improve the reliability of Calgary’s water system.
