CALGARY — The City of Calgary is bracing for prolonged water conservation measures after a critical feeder main ruptured for the second time in less than two years, officials said Monday. The Bearspaw feeder main, which supplies 60 percent of the city's drinking water, broke catastrophically last week in northwest Calgary, prompting emergency repairs and heightened restrictions on water use. Even after fixes are completed, the aging pipe will operate at reduced capacity to prevent further failures, according to infrastructure experts and city leaders.
The rupture, which occurred along the pipe's route in the city's northwest, has left residents under Stage 4 water restrictions, banning all outdoor water use such as lawn watering and car washing. Calgarians are also urged to adopt voluntary measures, including shorter showers and reduced indoor usage, to ease the strain on the remaining water supply from the Glenmore Reservoir. "We’ll have to run it at lower pressures and with less water flowing through it," said Michael Thompson, general manager of City of Calgary Infrastructure Services, during a media briefing. "That’s why it’s critical that we all save water as we get through this initial repair."
Emergency crews have already delivered a new section of pipe to the site, with installation set to begin following a thorough inspection. The break marks the second major incident for the Bearspaw feeder main since June 2024, when a similar rupture forced widespread restrictions and highlighted the infrastructure's vulnerabilities. That earlier event led to temporary concrete encasements on weakened sections during the summer, but experts now say the pipe has reached the end of its useful life.
"What it shows is that the line has come to the end of its useful lifespan, and so they have to urgently look at replacing the line," said Ron Hugo, director of the University of Calgary’s Pipeline Engineering Centre. Hugo explained that lowering operating pressures is a standard response to damage, as it reduces stress on the pipe. However, this adjustment means less reliance on the Bearspaw system overall, shifting more demand to the Glenmore Reservoir and its distribution network.
City officials anticipate that water restrictions will persist beyond the immediate repairs. The feeder main will need to be shut down periodically in the spring and fall for additional inspections and reinforcements, Thompson noted. Crews are using data from the current break to identify vulnerable spots, with surveying scheduled to start Wednesday along 16 Avenue N.W. and 33 Avenue N.W.. These shutdowns could extend conservation efforts for months, potentially into next year.
The saga began in June 2024, when the first rupture disrupted water services across much of Calgary, affecting hundreds of thousands of residents. At that time, the city accelerated plans to replace the six-kilometer stretch of pipe, compressing the design phase from two years to just eight months. Now, with another failure, officials are calling for even greater haste. The replacement project is divided into phases: the first, from the Shaganappi Pump Station to 73 Street N.W. west of the Bow River, is slated to begin construction this spring using micro-tunnelling techniques to navigate challenges like the Bow River, Sarcee Trail, 16 Avenue, and the CPKC rail line.
The second phase would extend from 73 Street N.W. to 89 Street N.W., with a possible continuation to the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant itself. This work is part of a broader $1.1 billion investment in water infrastructure, including new feeder mains north from the Bearspaw plant and additional lines in south and northeast Calgary. "We had already accelerated the replacement project, completing the design in eight months instead of two years," Thompson said. "We now need to bring an increased urgency to this replacement project."
Experts outside the city echo the need for speed. Matti Siemiatycki, director of the Infrastructure Institute at the University of Toronto, emphasized that every step must be streamlined. "Every review needs to be taken by saying how can you do that in half the time? How can you make this go faster? Because the impacts are so severe," Siemiatycki told reporters. He added, "Given the urgency, the severity and the cost of this current situation, it can’t stand, and every avenue should be looked at."
Originally, the full replacement was targeted for completion by 2028, but Thompson indicated that timeline is under review. "We are going to go faster," he said. "We don’t know what that looks like yet. We have teams working on it and we’re going to get this new pipe installed as fast as we can so the city is not vulnerable going forward." City planners are exploring ways to expedite approvals and construction without compromising safety, amid concerns over the pipe's deteriorating condition since the 2024 rupture.
The repeated breaks have raised questions about the long-term reliability of Calgary's water system, which serves a population of more than 1.3 million. The Bearspaw plant, operational since 1953, draws from the Bow River to treat and distribute water across the city's north and west. With the feeder main handling the bulk of that load, any limitations ripple through neighborhoods, businesses, and even firefighting capabilities, as reduced pressure could affect hydrant performance.
Local residents have expressed frustration over the ongoing disruptions. In the immediate aftermath of last week's break, some northwest Calgary areas saw low water pressure or temporary shutoffs, though no widespread boil-water advisories were issued this time. Community leaders are calling for transparency on how conservation measures will evolve. Thompson said future plans, including potential adjustments to restriction stages, will be discussed soon, but for now, the focus remains on repair and replacement.
Hugo warned that operating the pipe at lower pressures will have cascading effects. "They have to operate at a lower pressure, so less reliance on the Bearspaw feeder main and that puts pressure on the Glenmore Reservoir and the distribution from there," he said. "So we will need to live with this for a longer duration of time." This could mean sustained voluntary cutbacks, such as limiting laundry and dishwashing cycles, even as temperatures rise in the coming weeks.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the incidents underscore broader challenges in urban infrastructure maintenance. Calgary's water mains, many installed decades ago, face increasing strain from population growth and aging materials. The $1.1 billion funding package approved by city council aims to address this, but critics argue more proactive investment was needed sooner. Officials maintain that the accelerated timeline for the Bearspaw replacement demonstrates commitment to resilience.
As repairs progress, the city is monitoring usage closely. Daily reports show Calgarians responding to calls for conservation, with overall demand down since restrictions took effect. However, the prospect of seasonal shutdowns looms, potentially coinciding with peak summer or fall needs. Thompson reiterated that collaboration from residents is key. "Future water conservation plans will be discussed in the future," he said, signaling ongoing adaptations.
Looking ahead, the replacement project's success could set a precedent for other cities grappling with similar issues. With experts like Siemiatycki advocating for "warp speed" execution, Calgary's response will be watched closely. For now, the ruptured feeder main serves as a stark reminder of the fragility beneath the city's daily life, urging a collective effort to safeguard its most essential resource: water.