Critical Watermain Update: Stage 4 Water Restrictions Begin August 26

Councillor Wong wanted to ensure to provide accessible updates on the Critical Watermain work as information unfolds. Our office has been in communications with local BIA's, businesses, and City Administration to navigate this work as it goes forward. 

The City has announced that, based on new information, additional urgent repairs are needed to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main. This conclusion is based on recent results from our PipeDiver device, combined with previous testing and ongoing acoustic monitoring.

While this is not an emergency situation like we experienced in June, the new data has uncovered additional points in the pipe where urgent repair work is needed by the end of September.

To facilitate these urgent repairs, The City needs to shut down the South Bearspaw Feeder Main and stop the flow of water through it between August 26 and the end of September.

During this time of construction starting August 26th, we will return to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions and the City will be asking Calgarians and businesses to limit their non-essential indoor water use to reduce the strain on our rivers and water treatment plants while work is underway.

Residents will be asked to take three specific actions: taking three-minute showers, skipping flushes where possible, and only running full loads of laundry and dishes. Businesses will be asked to aim to reduce indoor water use by 25 per cent. No businesses will be asked to close unless absolutely necessary. The City of Calgary will also be reducing its non-essential water use.

The majority of this work will take place along a section of 33 Avenue N.W. There will also likely be a repair required on Parkdale Boulevard, and we may also perform some additional repairs on 16 Avenue N.W. The precise locations and extent of these repairs will be communicated in the coming weeks as we learn more information, our office will circulate this information when it becomes available. Councillor Wong and City administration will communicate directly with impacted residents and businesses in the area as construction plans evolve.

For now, we remain in Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions until work begins the week of August 26. The City will have teams working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to restore water service to Calgarians as safely and quickly as possible.

Please watch out for our newsletters for regular updates as this situation develops: For additional regularly updated information, visit calgary.ca/restrictions.