Stricter outdoor water restrictions to return to Calgary as urgent feeder main repairs needed

Calgary will return to Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions later this month as city crews begin repair work on 16 new sites on a feeder main affected by a major break two months ago.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek said an assessment of the entire 10.4-kilometre main done by a “pipe-diver” device revealed the 16 new sites that need repair.

“To be clear, the pipe is not facing an immediate break at any of these sites,” Gondek said.

“Rather, there are enough points of weakness or strain in these sections, that maintenance work needs to be completed before the end of September.”

On Aug. 26, Calgary will return to Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions as city crews prepare to shut down the feeder main ahead of the repair work.

“What we have found is that there are some sections of pipe that cannot wait for a medium- or long-term plan,” Michael Thompson, the City of Calgary’s general manager of infrastructure services, said.

“Urgent repairs are needed to some additional sections of the pipe to address the risk of another unexpected break.”

Calgarians will be asked to reduce their indoor water usage as well, at this time.

“Importantly, this work will impact all of us in Calgary, Airdrie, Tsuut'ina Nation, Strathmore and Chestermere, as we will all need to reduce our indoor water usage again,” Gondek said.

Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions do not allow for any outdoor water use. Thompson emphasized that regular indoor water use can continue until Aug. 26. Stage 1 outdoor water restrictions will remain in place until then.

Major construction will begin on Aug. 28 and will continue 24-7 until completion, which is estimated around Sept. 23.

The mayor said the construction will affect residents and businesses in Montgomery and Bowness.

With the feeder main shut down, cutting off access to the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant, the city and surrounding areas will rely on the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant to supply its water.

The repairs are necessary this fall, officials say, to maintain Calgary’s water supply through the winter.

“In late fall and winter, we rely on the Glenmore Reservoir to act as our water bank, and we draw it down through the winter as flows on the Elbow River are lower.

“We need to make sure there is enough water in the bank to get us through until spring.”

The feeder main initially broke on June 5, leading to weeks of indoor water-use reduction measures and outdoor water restrictions. Repairs, including work on five hot spots along the feeder main, were completed on June 25.

Water restrictions remained in place as crews worked to stabilize the infrastructure and bring the pipe back up to full capacity.