Jan. 10 Major water main break update

The City of Calgary continues to ask residents and businesses to take action to reduce water consumption while crews are working to repair the feeder main break.  

Yesterday, Calgarians used 504 million litres of water, above our goal of 485 million litres per day, the amount that allows our system to operate safely, refill overnight and maintain emergency services.  

We are asking everyone who relies on our water system to save 25 to 30 litres per person per day, this includes Calgarians and residents in surrounding communities like Strathmore, Tsuu’Tina Nation, Airdire and Chestermere. Simple actions make a big difference, like:  

• Flushing toilets only when needed—skipping three flushes saves up to 18 liters.
• Reducing shower time. Every one minute you save in the shower saves 8-10 liters of water.
• Running your dishwasher and washing machines with full loads only.  

“The entire water system is connected and under stress,” says Calgary Emergency Management Agency Chief Susan Henry. “Using more precious water from the Glenmore Reservoir could impact our ability to respond to emergencies. The fact is Calgary has grown, and more people means more water use, so no matter what community you live in, please make saving water a priority.” 

While the situation is serious, it does not meet the Alberta Emergency Alert system criteria for a critical alert, which is reserved for immediate life-safety threats. The City has issued two non-broadcast intrusive alerts on the Alberta Emergency Alert website and app for urgent but less critical information, and we encourage everyone to download the app to make sure they stay informed. 

We have also been sharing updates and promoting water conservation through multiple channels, including regular media availabilities, daily updates on calgary.ca and social media, online and radio advertising, roadside and transit signage, community pop-ups and through outreach to our largest commercial water users. City operations has been limiting all non-essential water use too. 

CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS  

We are making good progress on the repair work. Our crews have completed backfilling and have started repairing the road above the pipe.  

We are also slowly refilling the feeder main, which is a process that is done very slowly to reduce the risk of another break. Refilling takes several days and uses approximately 22 million litres of water or roughly nine Olympic-sized swimming pools. This water is coming from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant and the Bow River, so it will not affect the daily usage numbers we’ve been sharing. 

After that we will move to next steps, including water quality testing and stabilizing the system. Once the system is stable, we will begin easing water conservation restrictions.  

PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY 

Each step to restore water service carries risk, including potential delays or another break, and while we cannot guarantee that won’t happen, we are proceeding as carefully as possible. Out of caution, we are taking the following measures to protect surrounding communities from flooding in case of another break. These include: 

• Removing two sections of the flood protection berm along Montgomery Boulevard N.W. so that, in the event of a break in the area, this would allow water to flow into the Bow river.
• Installing temporary barriers along a stretch of the Bow River pathway near Parkdale Boulevard N.W., between 33rd and 30th Street N.W., to protect the community. Pathway detours will be in place.
• Crews are clearing catch basins, opening river outflows and adjusting manhole covers to improve drainage in multiple areas.
• We are preparing to deploy temporary pumps quickly to remove water from low-lying areas if necessary.  

We are planning additional pipe reinforcement work this spring when river flows to the Glenmore Reservoir are high enough to be refilled. If another unplanned break happens before then, we are ready to act and have already inspected several locations along the feeder main that we are prepared to step in and reinforce at the same time. We will work closely with those in the area to make sure they are informed and to provide support where possible.  

52 STREET WATER MAIN 

While repair work is underway, we have been restoring service to the water main at Memorial Drive and 52 Street N.E. This is a separate project that began in the fall. To ensure water is safe, the pipe was filled with highly chlorinated water and flushed before bringing it back into service. Nearby residents may notice lower water pressure, a strong chlorine smell or cloudy water, which are normal changes and should clear within a couple of days with regular water use. The water remains safe to drink and meets all required health standards.  

ROADS AND MOBILITY  

Westbound traffic along 16 Avenue N.W. between 49 Street and Sarcee Trail N.W. remains closed. Speed reductions are in place throughout the construction area.  

Road repaving is ongoing and if all goes well, 16th Avenue is expected to reopen by mid to late next week. 

For the latest information about road closures and detours, please go to: https://www.calgary.ca/roads/conditions/traffic.html  

To view the daily water usage dashboard, visit calgary.ca/watermainbreak  

More updates will be shared as information becomes available.  

Keep updated by visiting www.calgary.ca