Water main break - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

The Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions will go into effect on August 26, 2024 at 12:01 a.m.

Businesses and residents will have daily access to non-potable water, which can be used for watering trees, golf course greens, garden plants and floral displays. Hours of operation will be 7a.m. to 7 p.m. daily for commercial use, and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily for residential use.

Based on feedback from the feeder main break in June, we have added additional fill stations at the first two non-potable water locations, doubling the capacity at these sites. We are also opening a third site at Bankside in Fish Creek Provincial Park where we will be directing City crews and contractors to alleviate the wait time pressures that were experienced at the Ogden location previously.

Non-potable water will be available for collection from three sites beginning August 26th:

• West Baker Park boat launch
• Ogden boat launch
• Bankside

Hours of operation will be 7am to 7pm daily for commercial use, and 4pm to 7pm daily for residential use.

This increased capacity to non-potable water should provide the same level of service (re: wait times) to industry as they would be used to receiving from potable bulk water stations.

At present, the fire department is not anticipating issuing a fire ban for the duration of the repair; however, if the situation changes due to weather or unanticipated supply limitations, a need for one may emerge.  

We are asking event organizers to reduce indoor water use at events that occur during the repair period.

Outdoor use of potable water from City of Calgary supply is not permitted while Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions are in effect.

After further review of the pipe diver results, we anticipate repairing 21 segments of pipe that will be grouped into 16-18 excavation sites. Some sites may involve the repair of multiple pipe segments, while some will only include one segment.

This is our current plan, but it is important to note that it may change as our work evolves.

The map of excavation sites will be shared when the exact site limits have been confirmed with the contractor. It is expected that multiple construction crews will be working simultaneously on these repairs. Sequencing and staging of when each excavation will occur will be shared at next week’s media availability.  

As well, our teams are looking at ways to minimize the impact of these repairs to homeowners and businesses in the area as much as possible and our teams will be starting to have conversations with local residents and businesses this afternoon.

It is important to understand that these immediate repairs will be taking place in two phases. This work taking place from August 26 until late September is part of Phase one.

• 78- 79 St N.W. along 33 Ave N.W. - three pipe segments to be repaired.
• 81 – 87 St N.W. along 33 Ave N.W. - 10 pipe segments to be repaired.
• East of Bow River bridge adjacent to Shouldice Park - two pipe segments to be repaired.
• 41 – 46 St N.W. along 16 Ave N.W. - six pipe segments to be repaired.

After the initial break and hot spot repairs were complete and the feeder main returned to service, we used a device called a PipeDiver to do an inspection of the entire length of the feeder main, which is 10.4 kilometres.  

The PipeDiver is a high resolution, electromagnetic and ultrasonic pipe inspection tool for large diameter pipe inspections. It operates while the pipe is in service (filled with water) and provides a pipe wall condition assessment, including identifying any wire breaks in the pipe and pinpointing areas of distress. 

We began to receive preliminary results from the PipeDiver in the last week of July. 

Our teams have been working alongside external experts to analyze the new PipeDiver data. The data has revealed several new locations that need urgent repair. Some of these spots need to be repaired within the next few weeks and others will be addressed in our medium-to-long-term pipe rehabilitation plans. 

These new locations are places where we are concerned that the pipe is at risk of breaking in the near term. We need to act quickly with repairs and are making plans to begin those repairs within a few weeks.

The pipe diver assessment provided us with detailed information about the pipe’s condition, identifying specific areas reaching the threshold for immediate repairs. We are proactively addressing the segments identified as most compromised, based on this new data.

Additionally, our engineers and consultants conducted location-specific evaluations to prioritize these segments for repair, ensuring the pipe can handle varying water pressures and flows.

The ongoing deterioration of the pipe requires immediate repairs, and these immediate fixes will maintain service until a comprehensive rehabilitation plan is implemented.

Timing was also influenced by the need to reduce reliance on the Glenmore Treatment Plant before winter water storage becomes critical in September. It’s important to understand that these repairs are planned, preventive, measures to maintain the pipe’s integrity until long-term solutions are finalized.

The threshold to determine pipe repairs has been based on various criteria including pipe diver results, recommendations from the consultant and our team of engineers’ recommendations for regular operation of the feeder main, considering location-specific information such as anticipated pressures and surrounding soil conditions.

The criteria has helped us determine the threshold that these 21 repairs in Phase 1 need to be made immediately as part of the planned repairs to ensure this feeder main can service Calgary and surrounding areas while a longer-term rehabilitation plan is being developed. 

We will be making the repairs using a reinforced concrete encasement method. This is the type of repair that we completed earlier this summer when we found the Thrust Block, and we reinforced the existing pipe instead of removing and replacing the pipe. This work includes exposing the pipe through excavation, building an exterior reinforcing steel cage, pouring concrete, and then backfilling the excavation.  

While the pipe is in service, the pressure inside it is very high. The soil surrounding the pipe plays a critical role in securing the infrastructure. If the pipe is exposed while pressurized, there is a high risk of a break, and that could pose a serious safety risk for our crews.

Similar to how we needed to backfill the previous repair areas before repressurizing, we need to depressurize the pipe to start any pipe excavations regardless of the repair type.

The pipe diver data provided a thorough assessment of the pipe’s integrity across a substantial portion of the feeder main.

The findings have confirmed the need for both short-term repairs and a long-term rehabilitation plan; our teams are actively working on solutions to ensure the pipe can continue to support water service for Calgarians and surrounding areas.

The preliminary data from the pipe crawler that was deployed during the last shutdown identified the five hotspots that needed to be addressed before the pipe was returned to service, as well as other areas of concern that should be repaired.

The pipe diver results confirmed those results as well as adding additional areas for repairs based on the additional length that was surveyed. It’s important to note that these are not emergency repairs but rather planned, preventive maintenance work that must be carried out in the short term to ensure the pipe’s reliability while our teams develop long-term rehabilitation plans.

During the previous emergency repair, we addressed the most critical sites that were necessary to bring the pipe back into service.

We are now revisiting 16 Ave N.W. to repair areas that, based on the pipe diver’s assessment and consultations with our engineering teams, are nearing the high-risk threshold. A

ddressing these potential vulnerabilities now will help prevent another emergency repair and allow us to focus on developing comprehensive mid- to long-term rehabilitation plans for the pipe.

Our top priority is ensuring continuous water service with minimal disruption. While this repair is inconvenient, delaying it could lead to more significant damage to City infrastructure and the surrounding communities. These short-term repairs will safeguard the pipe’s integrity until long-term plans are in place.

We have engaged Graham Construction and we have to started the repair planning with them.

As in June, in order to conduct these urgent repairs, we will need to again shut down the South Bearspaw Feeder Main and stop the flow of water through it between August 26 and the end of September.  

This means that during the repair period we will be relying on the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant to supply most of the water to Calgary, Strathmore, Airdrie, Chestermere and the Tsuut’ina Nation.   

During the repair period from August 26 to the end of September, we will be returning to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, which do not allow any outdoor water use. It also means that we will be asking residents and businesses to conserve water indoors.  

Because the response is ongoing, we are still receiving invoices from some of our contractors and for certain materials purchased. However, we are now able to provide an estimate based on work to date. This is specifically the cost for the first phase of the repairs, and does not include the cost of the upcoming repairs, which is not yet known. 

Costs to do the initial repairs to the feeder main include:

• Repair of the initial break.
• Repairing the five “hot spots”.   
• Procuring materials for the repairs and replacements, and for contingencies like additional steel pipe, adapters and exterior pipe reinforcing parts.
• Enhanced operations at the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant to keep our water distribution system stable until we could restore water service to the feeder main. 
• We’ve also incurred costs to provide other services during the response, like non-potable water pick up at locations across the city. 

Our estimates also include costs that have been incurred to maintain water flow through our system while the repairs took place.  This included enhanced operations at the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant to keep our water distribution system stable until we could restore water service to the feeder main.  We’ve also incurred costs to provide other services during the response, like non-potable water pick up at locations across the city.   

Based on what we know today, we estimate our costs for the first phase of repairs to date to be $20-25 million. The cost estimate also does not include any lost revenue for City services associated with the break and the repairs. Note, this estimate is for the work done to date, and does not include the new set of urgent repairs, or our medium- or long-term rehabilitation plans. We will share more information on the cost estimates of the upcoming repairs as they become available. 

• Facilities will cease watering plants and flowers, and irrigation of grass areas maintained for City-owned buildings. 
• Decorative water features & fountains will be turned off to conserve water. 
  
• Wash bays for City vehicles will be closed. Vehicles will only be washed to comply with health and safety requirements. 
  

• Ice rinks will be flooded less often. 
• Signage will be placed inside City recreational facilities encouraging visitors to conserve water while showering and washing their hands. 
  

The timing of these repairs is very important to managing our water supply through the winter. Calgary is a big city on two small rivers. When the feeder main is out of service for repairs, we get most of our water from the Glenmore Reservoir (Elbow River).

We need to act now so that we can be done the repairs in time for river flows to refill the Glenmore Reservoir so that there is enough water for later in the fall and winter when we draw on it heavily.

We also need to minimize the risk of the feeder main breaking unexpectedly in winter when we would not be able to refill the reservoir because river flows are too low. This could put our water supply at risk within a matter of weeks. 

Beginning August 26 and running through most of September, we will be returning to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions and asking Calgarians to limit their indoor water use.  

Under Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, the following activities will not be permitted: 

• Watering lawns, gardens, flowers, trees and shrubs with City water 
  
• Using outdoor automatic sprinkler systems 
  
• Filling outdoor pools or hot tubs 
  
• Washing outdoor surfaces, including: 
  
  • Windows 
    
  • Exterior building surfaces 
    
  • Sidewalks, driveways or walkways 
    
• Filling fountains or decorative water features 
  
• Washing your car in the driveway or street 
  
• Using water for construction purposes such as grading, compaction or dust control 
  

For more information on Stage 4 Outdoor Water restrictions, click here. 

We will also be asking Calgarians to again limit their indoor water use by taking the following three actions: 

1. Reduce toilet flushing. Only flush when needed. 
2. Keep showers to three minutes or less. 
   
3. Only run the dishwasher and laundry machine with full loads. 
   

For more ways to reduce indoor consumption, click here.

We anticipate the return to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions and to limit indoor use to run through most of September. We are in the process of finalizing these dates and will share the exact timing when we have it. 

We are making plans to address these repairs as fast as we can, to minimize the impact on Calgarians, our regional partners and people and businesses in the construction area. 

Information on easing outdoor water restrictions will be made available as this work is completed.

In addition to not using water outdoors, residents are asked to focus on three specific actions, starting on August 26:  

• Limit your showers to three minutes  
• Skip flushes when you can, and  
  
• Only wash full loads of dishes and laundry.   
  

In addition to not using water outdoors, businesses will be asked to find ways to aim for a 25 per cent reduction in daily water use starting on August 26 and during the period of the closure. We do not intend to request closures of any specific businesses unless it is absolutely necessary.  

Business are also required to stop all outdoor water use while Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions are in place. There are some exceptions for businesses, related to safety and core business needs, including: 

• Watering plants, shrubs and trees for commercial sale. 
• Washing outdoor surfaces to meet health and safety regulations at childcare facilities, restaurants, kennels and animal care facilities. 
  
• Washing of vehicle to follow health and safety regulations. 
  
• Washing windows manually by businesses that have a City license to operate exterior window washing services. 
  
• Watering using non-City of Calgary potable water sources, such as rainwater collected in a rain barrel or non-potable river water.  
  

To support construction and landscaping businesses during the upcoming water restrictions, non-potable river water stations will be re-opened for use, free of charge. These stations will also be open for residential use during specified hours.  

We will be working with the irrigation industry association to mitigate impacts on their business.  

We will also be asking businesses to reduce their indoor water consumption. Click here for a list of commercial water saving tips.

At this time will NOT be requesting the closure of any businesses such as car washes and recreation facilities unless absolutely necessary. Since June, we have worked with recreation facilities to understand their water use and they are confident they can meet the required 25% reduction without significant impact to services. (Most pools are full and only require minimal top up to meet health and safety requirements, ice rinks are established and will be reducing flooding)  

We wanted to give Calgarians as much notice as possible to plan for this work and associated restrictions. Here are some things you can do over the next couple of weeks to get prepared.

• Collect rainwater in a rain barrel, bucket or any container to water your plants and garden in the coming weeks. 
• Avoid letting your laundry pile up. Try to do as much laundry ahead of time as you can. 
  
• Prepare your yard and garden for dry conditions by turning on your sprinkler on your scheduled watering days.  
  
• Familiarize yourself with what actions you can take indoors to save water. 
  

• Review staffing needs during repair timeframe.  
• Review essential vs non-essential uses of water, plan for water use reduction and necessary signage. 
  
• Conduct a water audit and conduct maintenance checks.
  
• Look for opportunities to shift or change or shift production schedules or locations.   
  
• Fix leaks, dripping taps and toilets. 
  
• Install water efficient fixtures. 
  
• Prepare your greenspaces and gardens for dry conditions by turning on your sprinkler on your scheduled watering days. Consider preparing to shut down irrigation systems for fall/winter. 
  
• Talk with your employees about minimizing water use. 
  
• Utilize recycled water, where it is safe and practicable to do. 
  
• Find out more ways to reduce your water use according to your type of business type. 
  

The last day to use wading pools and spray parks will be Sunday, August 25.

Outdoor pools typically begin closures the first week of September and can continue to operate provided they can access a non-City water supply to support pool top ups.

City of Calgary and non City of Calgary recreation centres and indoor pools are allowed to remain open during the upcoming Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions.

City of Calgary and non-City of Calgary arenas will also not be required to close, but will be asked to take measures to reduce their indoor water use by 25 per cent. We understand some recreation facilities have planned maintenance taking place in September that may result in temporary closures, but they are unrelated to upcoming Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions.

Yes. The winterization process uses air, so that work may continue to take place.

Yes. Community gardens are allowed to continue using water for their gardens during Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, according to the Water Utility Bylaw. However, we urge you to be as efficient as possible with your water use.

This includes checking all hoses for leaks and turning them off when not in use, using a water can to hand-water when possible, and only give plants the water they need to survive.

According to the Water Utility bylaw, community gardens are allowed to continue using water for their gardens during Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions, but we are reaching out to them to urge them to be as efficient as possible with their water use.

Non-potable water is a good option to water your yard and plants. You may consider using non-potable water from several sources:

• Collect rainwater in containers or barrels.
• Collect river water from one of The City’s water pick-up locations in Baker Park or Ogden.
• Collect grey water from showers, baths, dishwashing or cooking.
• Put a tote in your shower to collect clean, cold water while you’re waiting for it to heat up.

Collected rainwater, household grey water, and river water are not potable, which means you shouldn't drink it. There also may be risks associated with using it on food crops. If you choose to use non-potable water on your food crops, know these risks, and follow these precautions:

• Use a drip irrigation system or hand water the plant roots with a watering can. This is called ‘base of plant’ watering and will help to prevent possible contamination of above-ground fruits and vegetables.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables to remove as much contamination as possible.
• See YardSmart - Rain barrels (calgary.ca) for more information on risks and precautions.

Non-potable water is a good option to water your yard and plants. You may consider using non-potable water from several sources:

• Collect rainwater in containers or barrels.
• Collect river water from one of The City’s water pick-up locations in Baker Park or Ogden.
• Collect grey water from showers, baths, dishwashing or cooking.
• Put a tote in your shower to collect clean, cold water while you’re waiting for it to heat up.

Collected rainwater, household grey water, and river water are not potable, which means you shouldn't drink it. There also may be risks associated with using it on food crops. If you choose to use non-potable water on your food crops, know these risks, and follow these precautions:

• Use a drip irrigation system or hand water the plant roots with a watering can. This is called ‘base of plant’ watering and will help to prevent possible contamination of above-ground fruits and vegetables.
• Wash all fruits and vegetables to remove as much contamination as possible.
• See YardSmart - Rain barrels (calgary.ca) for more information on risks and precautions.

Starting Tuesday, August 27 crews will be draining the Bearspaw South Feeder Main in preparation for urgent planned repairs. This work involves releasing large volumes of dechlorinated water into the Bow River near Edworthy Park, Bowness Park and Shouldice Park.

It's expected that draining will take a minimum one day to complete, but it could extend up to three days. To facilitate safe and efficient operations, crews will be working around the clock to complete this phase of work.  Additional draining may be required over the course of repairs.

As part of federally and provincially legislated water quality requirements, The City is required to maintain water quality after completing repairs. 

• Flushing ensures high-quality drinking water and protects our water distribution system.
• Flushing must occur after a main is repaired so that any sediment and contaminants that may have entered the pipes are removed.

During flushing, water is drawn into the part of the system that was shut down for repairs, until the Provincial requirements for clarity (very low sediment) and chlorine concentration are reached.

• Using fire hydrants to flush watermains is the only way to remove sediment from parts of the City’s drinking water system that have been repaired.
• Flushing also ensures there is enough chlorine in the water to protect public health before a shutdown watermain is returned to service.
• The City tests the water during flushing and only flush watermains until required sediment and chlorine levels are met.
• It takes anywhere from 20 minutes to several hours to complete flushing on the pipe, depending on the size of the pipe and the amount of sediment present.  

No. Final flushing of the main will involve releasing water into the Bow River. Due to the pressure at which this water will be released, and the proximity to the shoreline, it would be dangerous to attempt to collect water during final flushing.

Residents will see water being released from the feeder main and into the Bow River during the first week of repairs. This is to drain the feeder main in preparation for repairs.

You may also see flushing when all repairs are complete. This too would involve releasing water into the Bow River.

Residents will also see flushing crews throughout Calgary, who are involved in other, unrelated repairs to our water distribution system. As part of federally and provincially legislated water quality requirements, The City is required to flush water mains after completing repairs. 

Flushing ensures high-quality drinking water and protects our water distribution system.

Flushing must occur after any water main is repaired so that any sediment and contaminants that may have entered the pipes are removed.

We are currently in Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions.  

Beginning August 26 and running through most of September, we will be returning to Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions and asking Calgarians to limit their indoor water use as we complete additional repairs on the Bearspaw South Feeder Main.  

Information on easing outdoor water restrictions will be made available as this work is completed. Indoor water reductions are expected to be eased as soon as the short-term repairs are complete and the feeder main is returned to service. Follow media livestreams for up to date information.  

There are four stages of mandatory outdoor water restrictions depending on the need to limit water usage. The following table explains how and when you can use water outdoors during the various stages.

NEW - view daily water demand, heat patterns and more on our interactive daily water demand dashboard.

Until August 25, we will remain under Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions. Under Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions, Calgarians can use their sprinkler and in-ground irrigation systems on set days/times for up to two hours per week. 

Hose watering (excluding lawns) with a trigger spray nozzle/watering wand or drip irrigation that automatically shuts off continues to be allowed on any day/time. 

Generally, washing outdoor surfaces, including windows, exterior building surfaces and sidewalks, driveways and walkways, and filling fountains and decorative water features is still not allowed.

Note: Manual window washing by certified companies is allowed, other window washing is not.

Yes. The majority of City spray parks and wading pools are now open.

All City wading pools and spray parks are filled with potable water at the beginning of the season and then through a system of filters, recirculate the water the remainder of the season. 

• For spray park and wading pool status and locations, visit calgary.ca/sprayparks.  
• For information on community outdoor pool locations and operating hours, visit calgaryoutdoorpools.ca.
• Spray parks, wading pools typically close Sept long weekend and will close a few days early when Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions come into effect.  
• Outdoor pools typically begin closures the first week of September and can continue to operate provided they can access a non-City water supply to support pool top ups.
  

No. Residents cannot take water from Calgary rivers unless they have a valid permit from the Government of Alberta. 

Taking water from our rivers is regulated by the Province under the Alberta Water Act. The City of Calgary has the required permits to do so. 

To support construction and landscaping businesses during the upcoming Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions beginning August 26 and running through September, non-potable river water stations will be re-opened for use free of charge. These stations will also be open for residential use during specified hours. 

No. The sprinkler schedule days and times doesn't apply to hose watering for gardens, trees and shrubs. 

Hoses with spring nozzles are a more controlled way of watering as they automatically shut off when not in active use so they tend to use less water. 

That being said, cooler evenings and early mornings are the perfect time for watering your garden, ensuring your plants maximize the water and not lose most of it to evaporation. 

You can split the two hours over the course of a day, during the designated times, or between the two days you are allowed to water, as long as it does not exceed two hours per week.

During Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions, the watering times for condos or multifamily buildings with odd and even addresses would be:

• One even day per week (Wednesday or Saturday for two hours total) and one odd day per week (Thursday or Sunday for two hours total), regardless of the number of units or irrigation zones.

If you’re not home during either day, we encourage you to ask a friend or a neighbour to turn on your sprinkler during the approved times or consider installing a timer on your sprinkler system.

Yes. You may use a pressure washer to clean your gutters for home maintenance.

We encourage using non-potable water for manual cleaning.

Yes, kids can play in the sprinkler during Stage 1 restrictions to cool off, but please be mindful of the water use and shut it off when they are done playing.

As another more water-wise alternative, soak sponges in a bucket of water for a game of sponge tag or enjoy one of the many wading pools, spray parks and outdoor pools around the city. 

Yes - Private outdoor pools, including backyard and kiddie pools can be filled.

You should only wash cars, trucks, motorcycles and other vehicles at an indoor car wash. Car washes filter and recycle their water, and as a result use less than you would to spray your vehicle at home.

Grass will go dormant (brown) during a hot, dry spell. Lawns are amazingly resilient and can tolerate dry conditions for a long period of time. Most grass will recover and become green again when we receive a good rainfall and cooler temperatures returns.

If your lawn has an established root system, it should be okay. The best way to support root growth is to leave your grass at least three inches long when you mow. A deeper root system will develop and more moisture is kept. Longer grass also keeps roots cool helping your lawn handle severe heat.

Yes, even though hose-watering is allowed under Stage 1 restrictions, you can continue to use grey water or water from rain barrels to water plants, shrubs, lawns and gardens. However, grey water and collected rainwater are not potable, which means you shouldn’t drink it. There also may be risks associated with using it on food crops.

If you choose to use rainwater or grey water on your food crops, follow these precautions:

• Use a drip irrigation system or hand water the plant roots with a watering can. This is called ‘base of plant’ watering and will help to prevent possible contamination of above-ground fruits and vegetables. 
• Wash all fruits and vegetables to remove as much contamination as possible. 
• See YardSmart - Rain barrels (calgary.ca) for more information on risks and precautions.

Yes, you can fill your bird bath during Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions. Only fountains or decorative water features are affected by restrictions.

Yes. Under Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions, water use for home renovation projects is permitted.

Washing surfaces such as driveways to prepare for paving/sealing or washing a home prior to painting would be allowed.

Citizens are not permitted to perform any exterior window washing activities during any stage of water restrictions.

Manual is not defined in the bylaw. As long as window washing is being completed by a licensed company than this activity allowed during outdoor water use restrictions.

Washing down of sidewalks, walkways, driveways, exterior building surfaces or other outdoor surfaces is permitted where required by health and safety regulations; but the bylaw does not allow for general washing of outdoor surfaces in stage 1 restrictions.

At present, the fire department is not anticipating issuing a hot works ban for the duration of the repair; however, if the situation changes due to weather or unanticipated supply limitations, a need for one may emerge.  

You can view the document here:

• Watering plants, shrubs and trees for commercial sale.
• Watering of new grass plantings (sod or seed) with reasonable evidence of recent installation.
  • Sod for up to 21 days after planting, seed for up to 45 days after planting.
  • New sod or seed can be watered using any method, including sprinklers, hoses and irrigation systems.
• Watering gardens, trees, and shrubs on Water Managed Sites
  • Allowed with sprinklers connected to a Water Managed System at any time of day, within the specified water use reductions.
• Watering gardens, trees and shrubs that are being installed as part of an infrastructure construction project (e.g. new development, utility infrastructure project, riparian habitat restoration).
• Can be watered using any method, including sprinklers, hoses, irrigation systems and/or water trucks for newly planted boulevard trees in an established area.
• Washing outdoor surfaces for daycares and dayhomes, restaurants, kennels and animal care facilities.
• Using water for building maintenance activities (e.g. pressure washing refrigeration units, locating building envelope leaks).
• Washing of vehicles indoors or outdoors to follow health and safety regulations.
• Washing exterior windows and operating car washes provided by licensed businesses.
• Using water to conduct maintenance and associated activities of irrigation systems in both residential and commercial settings is allowed any day/time.
• While not a bylaw exemption, all commercial, industrial and institutional customers may apply to become a Certified Water Managed Site which allows some leniency with restrictions.

The City encourages customers to submit Water Managed Site applications for review this season.

While there were delays related to the feeder main break, we are committed to reviewing and responding to applications as quickly as possible.

Indoor car washes are now able to operate normally.

Manual exterior window washing is only permitted for Licensed Cleaning Companies during water restrictions.

If you are a Licensed Cleaning Service and have another source of water we encourage you to use that instead.

We are currently in Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions. Below is an overview of how water can be used outdoors during the different stages.

* Testing is allowed during Stage 1-3 if required as part of the contractual obligations for a construction project (e.g. Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) for a park’s irrigation system in a new development, or the occupancy agreement of a new home).

Yes. We expanded the scope of construction activities that can use water to include maintenance of irrigation systems.

This means that irrigation companies can run water through the pipes of in-ground sprinkling systems if they are fixing irrigation lines or checking to make sure they are working properly.

After maintenance is completed, property owners must follow the outdoor water restrictions that are in place for irrigation systems.

Water Managed Site applicants who apply this season during outdoor water restrictions will not be required to complete their audit test until restrictions are lifted.

While The City strives to take an education-first approach with citizens, it’s important that all Calgarians do their part. Therefore, there are penalties for violations.

The fines are listed in the Water Utility Bylaw and include $400 for a violation during Stage 1.

If you know your neighbour, you may want to ensure they are aware of the outdoor water restrictions before reporting them to Bylaw.

Otherwise, please contact 311 so bylaw officers can follow up to investigate the situation.

The original feeder main break and the five additional hotspots were repaired in June 2024.  

Further testing using a device called a PipeDiver has revealed several new locations that need repair.  Some of these spots need to be repaired within the next few weeks. Others will be addressed in our medium-to long-term pipe rehabilitation plans. 

In order to address these new locations, we will need to stop flow through the Bearspaw South Feeder Main again. This work will begin on August 26 and run through most of September. 

The most recent maintenance work happened in the spring of 2024, including replacement of air valves and the installation of an acoustic monitoring device. Routine field checks on valve chambers are also performed regularly.

Several test shutdowns were undertaken in the winter of 2023 and spring 2024 in preparation for a full condition assessment planned for December 2024.

98% of our water distribution system is rated as being in “good” or “very good” physical condition. This rating is due to The City’s ongoing condition assessment and maintenance programs, which help to identify and address potential problems.

We are unable to physically inspect all existing infrastructure every year, so physical condition is based on a combination of asset characteristics, physical observations, operational knowledge, and experience of known issues.

The Bearspaw South Feeder Main is the most critical feeder main in Calgary’s water system allowing for movement of water to the east and south parts of the city from the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant.

Our water system is interconnected and what happens in one part of the system can impact another part. With the feeder main offline, none of the other pipes connected to the line could receive water.

Key facts about this feeder main:

• It's 11 kilometres long.
• It has the capacity to transfer more than 400 million litres of water.
• The diameter of this feeder main varies from 1.5 metres to nearly 2 metres.

Hotspots are additional locations of the water main pipe that required replacement. They were found as a result of analysis of the water main pipe in areas beyond the spot of the initial break of June 5, and have now been repaired. The hotspots were not leaks. They were sections of pipe that warranted immediate repair.

The feeder main pipe that failed is a pre-stressed concrete cylindrical pipe (PCCP). The pipe has a composite construction made up of a steel reinforcement cable sandwiched between layers of concrete.   

City engineers and external experts are working to fully understand the cause of the pipe failure, including the contributing factors that led to the premature deterioration of the pipe. 

All pipes, regardless of pipe material, will deteriorate over time. In the case of a pre-stressed concrete cylindrical pipe (PCCP), both the concrete and the steel reinforcement can deteriorate and weaken over time.

Some of the factors that can contribute to deterioration of a pipe include operating pressures, pressure transients (spikes in pressures), soil conditions, defects during the manufacturing process, physical damage during transportation or installation, poor installation practices, physical damage during excavation work adjacent to the pipe, and bearing loads applying excessive force on the pipe. 

The pipe was operated well within its design pressure. The pressure in the pipe is continuously monitored, and the data confirmed that the pipe was operating at a pressure of approximately 70 psi at the time of the failure.

This pressure is well within the pressure rating for this pipe. This pipe had a pressure rating of 150 psi, with a surge pressure of 210 psi. 

Pressure stayed within a normal operating range for this pipe.  An analysis of pressure deviations has been completed as part of the ongoing review of the event.  This analysis supports the monitoring data. 

The initial exterior visual inspection of one pipe segment that failed shows evidence of physical damage to the exterior of the pipe segment. It is unclear when this damage occurred.  This damage could have led to steel aspects of the pipe being exposed to the soil conditions, potentially leading to corrosion. This will be further investigated as part of the third-party review. 

As part of our plan in repairing the feeder main, we completed additional testing on the pipe to learn more of its condition. This further testing used a device called a PipeDiver, which examined the entire .4 pipe, revealed several new locations that need urgent repair. It is also found areas of structural weakness in the pipe that were not in need of urgent repair, but we knew we would need to address in our short, medium, and long-term rehabilitation plan. This short-term plan includes repairs in the coming weeks and we’ll release more details on the medium- and long-term rehabilitation plan in the near future. 

A condition inspection is the best method we have to learning about our assets. An inspection using the latest pipe inspection technology would have likely detected “hot spots” along the length of the pipe.  This is how the five hot spots repaired in June were found. The hot spots found are not pipe breaks; they are locations where advanced deterioration has occurred. 

The inspection robot used to inspect the 4.3 km of pipe requires the pipe to be drained and empty of water. Alternatives are available where the inspection can be completed without draining the pipe; termed in-flow or in-stream condition assessment.  

An inspection plan was being executed prior to the pipe failure. A pipe inspection while in operation carries additional risks. Preliminary work was completed to replace air valves along the feeder main, valves were exercised (physically opening and closing the valves to confirm that they are working) and acoustic monitoring equipment was installed. This work was preparing for of an inspection scheduled for Fall/Winter 2024. 

The City has an annual inspection program for its pipe assets, including feeder mains. The logistics of inspecting over 5,000 km of pipe means that inspection data is supplemented with modeling of pipe condition. Inspection data are used to calibrate this model, which also incorporates factors of pipe material, pipe age, known condition, failure history, location, operating pressures, soil parameters and cathodic protection. 

The model, along with an evaluation the assets hydraulic importance in the system, ease of repair, and by understanding the social, environmental, and financial consequences of potential failures, is used to guide inspection efforts and identify candidates for the pipe replacement program.  Pipe breaks are used to continually improve the modeling results.  

There are two types of acoustic monitoring available for this type of pipe. External acoustic monitors are discreet sensors mounted to the outside of the pipe. They pickup events within the pipe (possible wire breaks) but are low-resolution compared to the fiber optic monitoring. They can tell us if an event occurred near a sensor, but they cannot tell us which pipe section has experienced the event. 

The second type of acoustic monitoring is fiber optic acoustic monitoring. Fibre optic cable is installed inside the pipe and is connected to a data acquisition system which can accurately identify the location of an event. Along with the baseline condition, data collected from the electromagnetic inspection can continuously monitor the condition of the pipeline so we can take appropriate action when the wire break count exceeds a threshold. 

While the risk of a pipe break was deemed lower based on available data and modeling, The City did take action to reduce the impact of a failure. Investments in replacement air valves reduced risk factors to operations. The City has also invested in the reliability of the two water treatment plants and the broader pipe network to improve the capacity of the system to deliver water even when a failure occurs. 

The 2011 and 2021 Water Long Range Plans also included future investments that will improve the redundancy of the system. An Emergency Response Plan for the Bearspaw South Feeder Main was prepared to quickly respond to a failure and maintain service while a repair was executed. This plan also included our critical parts inventory. 

These pipes can last a long time, as much as 100 years in ideal conditions. 98% of Calgary’s feeder mains, which are critical pipes in our distribution system, are in good or very good condition. This is aligned with the target we have set for our system. 

During Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions, these sites are still required to reduce their watering by 20-25 per cent depending on the size of the site.

In addition, during Stage 1 Outdoor Water Restrictions The City will only water priority sites that Calgarians use frequently like regional parks and sport fields, to keep trees and other natural assets alive, while using best water conservation practices.

City-owned buildings and vehicles

• Facilities ceased watering plants and flowers, and irrigation of grass areas maintained for City-owned buildings.
• Decorative water features & fountains were turned off to conserve water.

More on how The City is conserving water. 

Now more than ever we recognize that events are an important way for Calgarians to connect with our community. Event organizers are generally approved to proceed as long as they adhere to water restrictions currently in place.