Calgary water restrictions return November 4 as Bearspaw South feeder main nears completion
Stage 4 restrictions take effect Nov. 4 as the city ties the new pipe into the system; Parkdale Boulevard lane closures begin this week.
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Calgary's Bearspaw South feeder main replacement is entering its final stage, and the city will begin connecting the new pipe to the system.
Michael Thompson, the city's chief operating officer for water, said construction on the new pipe is nearly complete. The existing Bearspaw South feeder main will be shut down and drained, limiting drinking water supply for about four weeks. Crews will tie the new line into existing infrastructure at three locations.
Stage 4 water restrictions take effect Nov. 4, forbidding all outdoor water use. Mayor Jeromy Farkas asked residents to run dishwashers and washing machines only with full loads, flush only when necessary, and keep showers to about three minutes.
The feeder main has broken twice in two years, in June 2024 and December 2025, and each break triggered a state of emergency. The December rupture flooded northwest streets and led to citywide Stage 4 restrictions. An independent review panel later described systemic gaps in the city's water utility management over the past 20 years.
Work at 89th Street and 33rd Avenue N.W. is the first site, with work at 83rd Street and 33rd Avenue N.W. continuing. Six smaller repairs on the Parkdale Boulevard and Memorial Drive feeder main will also begin, with at least one eastbound lane on Parkdale closed starting this week.
How many Calgary residents will be affected by the four weeks of limited supply?
What will the replacement cost and who pays for it?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
