Calgary water main replacement on track for December completion amid fall restrictions
Construction wraps Stage A microtunnelling; Stage 4 water restrictions set for mid-October as crews tie in new feeder main to existing system.
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Calgary's replacement of the Bearspaw South feeder main remains on schedule to enter service by the end of December, city officials said Wednesday, even as Calgarians prepare for another round of Stage 4 water restrictions this fall.
The twice-failed water transmission line has burst in 2024 and again in January 2026. Mayor Jeromy Farkas ordered the replacement accelerated to finish by year-end. Crews completed approximately 3.7 kilometres of microtunnelling from 73rd Avenue to the Shaganappi Pump Station earlier this month, installing a concrete carrier pipe and more than two kilometres of steel feeder main inside it. Open-cut construction along 34 Avenue N.W. in Bowness, which began in June, is now 40 per cent complete with more than one kilometre of new steel feeder main installed.
"We're still on schedule to have this new pipe in service in December of this year," said Michael Thompson, chief operating officer of Calgary's water utility. The project is being completed in sections, with roadways, sidewalks and property access restored as work advances to minimize community disruption.
Calgarians will face Stage 4 water restrictions beginning in mid-October for approximately four weeks while crews connect the new feeder main to the existing water system — a process that requires the original pipe to be temporarily out of service. Indoor conservation measures will be required during this period, similar to restrictions imposed in April during earlier repair work. A separate round of temporary outdoor water restrictions is also expected for about a week in mid-September to accommodate planned electrical work at the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant. More details on the September restrictions will be provided in coming weeks.
Thompson warned that the existing pipe could fail at any time before the new one is commissioned. "We all need to be prepared and ready that that existing pipe can break at any moment. If it does, we will have to go into water restrictions again," he said.
What happens to water service if the existing pipe fails before the new one is ready?
Will the October restrictions be as severe as those in April, or will they be less restrictive now that part of the new system is installed?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When will Calgary's new Bearspaw South feeder main enter service?
The new Bearspaw South feeder main is scheduled to enter service by the end of December 2026.
When do Stage 4 water restrictions begin in Calgary?
Stage 4 water restrictions begin in mid-October 2026 and will last approximately four weeks while crews connect the new feeder main to the existing water system.
How much of the open-cut construction in Bowness is complete?
The open-cut construction along 34 Avenue N.W. in Bowness is 40 per cent complete, with more than one kilometre of new steel feeder main installed since work began in June 2026.
How many times has the Bearspaw South feeder main failed?
The Bearspaw South feeder main burst in 2024 and again in January 2026 before the replacement project was ordered.
