Update August 13: Critical water main break affecting city-wide water usage
The City of Calgary is preparing for necessary repairs to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, which will require a move to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions on August 26 to conserve water and reduce strain on our water supply while work is underway. These repairs are crucial to prevent unplanned failures and ensure a stable water supply through the winter. Until then, we remain under Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions, allowing for outdoor water use on a schedule.
Preconstruction work
On August 15, we will be surveying areas along 33 Avenue N.W. and 16 Avenue N.W., to help identify the specific work sites and develop our construction plan. Crews from Alberta One Call will also be in the areas to identify underground infrastructure by painting lines and placing small flags in the ground where the existing infrastructure is located. This will take one to two days, and in some cases, crews may need to enter the front or back of private property from the outside but won't need to enter inside homes or businesses.
Impact assessments
Our teams are carefully evaluating how the repair work will affect the impacted communities, as well as the wider population. We're committed to keeping everyone informed about the work before, during and after repairs. Accessibility is a priority in our planning and we're assessing a wide range of factors like vehicle, pedestrian and wheeling traffic, parking, access to driveways, alleys and laneways, waste collection services, mail and delivery services, transit routes and emergency access.
We understand the importance of reliable transit and road networks and are working to minimize disruptions by planning for detours, road closures and parking alternatives for residents and businesses.
Communication with impacted residents
We'll closely monitor the work and impact of the repairs to mitigate any unexpected issues for residents and businesses in the area and will be providing regular construction updates at least twice per week. Residents and businesses can sign up for these updates at calgary.ca/watermainbreak.
Water conservation efforts
The City is taking the following actions to reduce water usage in its operations during the repair period:
For City-owned buildings and vehicles:
- Facilities will cease watering plants and flowers, and irrigation of grass areas maintained for City-owned buildings.
- Wash bays for City vehicles will be closed. Vehicles will only be washed to comply with health and safety requirements.
City pools and arenas will also be implementing water saving measures, including:
- Flooding ice rinks less often.
- Placing signage inside facilities to encourage visitors to conserve water while showering and washing their hands.
With Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions in effect August 26, there are some things residents and businesses can do now to prepare.
Tips for residents
Under Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions Calgarians can continue to water their garden, trees and shrubs using certain methods like a trigger spray nozzle, a watering can or drip irrigation system. They can also water their garden, trees and shrubs with a sprinkler on a set schedule for a period of two hours per week.
We encourage everyone to give their trees a deep watering and add a layer of mulch to reduce water loss from evaporation. Now is also a great time to get rain barrels or other containers ready to collect rainwater.
Indoors, Calgarians can get ahead of their laundry by washing bedding and seasonal clothing now to limit laundry needs during the repair period to full loads of essential items.
Tips for businesses
Businesses are encouraged to use this time to check fixtures in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms to identify and repair any leaks. Businesses using automatic faucets can adjust them to a shorter run time and businesses without may consider installing them to conserve water.
We recommend sharing water-saving tips with staff and customers and have posters available for download that can be printed and posted in areas where water is used. Visit calgary.ca/savewateratwork to download a copy and for more information on how businesses can prepare.
We’ll keep meeting with businesses to learn how we can best support their operations during the repair work.
We will also be opening our non-potable water stations for residents and businesses to pick up river water free of charge for commercial and residential use. More information on locations and hours will be provided on calgary.ca when available.
Next steps
We are committed to getting the necessary repairs completed and will be working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to minimize the impact on Calgarians, businesses and our regional partners. We will provide regular updates as we approach the start of construction and throughout the process. Thank you for your patience and support as we work to keep Calgary’s water supply safe and reliable.