Water restrictions scheduled to return to Calgary in March
Water restrictions will return to Calgary in just over two weeks, when the city plans to shut down the Bearspaw south feeder main for reinforcement work.
The city said on Friday it will reintroduce water restrictions for around four weeks from March 9 to early April. During that period, the city will call for no outdoor water use and for indoor water conservation measures as well.
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The indoor conservation will again involve the city recommending residents shower for three minutes or less, flush toilets only when necessary, and run dishwashers and washing machines only when they're full.
The ongoing reinforcement and construction work to bolster the region's water supply is critical for Calgary, as well as communities like Airdrie, Strathmore, Chestermere and Tsuut'ina Nation that rely on the city's water supply, Mayor Jeromy Farkas said.
“This is southern Alberta's moonshot,” said Farkas.
“We are in a race against time to build a stronger, more resilient water system. And we are moving faster than anything we've ever built before to build southern Alberta for the next century."
The work comes after the Bearspaw experienced its second catastrophic failure in 18 months, in late December. The break led to significant flooding of 16th Avenue N.W.
Michael Thompson, the city's general manager of infrastructure services, said the city is also reaching out to neighbouring communities, industry associations and major water users to plan for reduced water use.
While the Bearspaw is shut down, the city plans to work on reinforcing up to nine deteriorated segments of the pipe. The planned work is confirmed for six segments along 16th Avenue N.W. near Sarcee Trail.
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The city is also considering three additional reinforcements at Point McKay in the city's northwest.
The spring shutdown window also allows the city to inspect the pipe's connection to the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant, and replace valves on the feeder main near Shaganappi Pump Station to make the water system more reliable in case of a future break.
Thompson said the reinforcements are scheduled for spring because it's when river flows are higher, which helps refill the Glenmore Reservoir and replenish the region's water supply.
Wire breaks recently detected
The city said it detected multiple wire breaks in the past week. Thompson said several snaps, especially in one small segment of the pipe, can potentially weaken it to the point that pressure from the water could cause the pipe to fail.
As a result, the westbound 16th Avenue N.W. exit ramp to Sarcee Trail was closed last week and traffic redirected, to respond to the wire breaks the city detected in the area.
"That's one of the most vulnerable sections of pipe that we have right now," said Thompson.
Another failure possible at any time
Farkas stressed to Calgarians that another rupture in the Bearspaw could happen anytime. He said the city is acting early to reinforce against failure, but residents and businesses should prepare for the possibility of another break and more water restrictions.
“Build the habits now, so when restrictions begin we are already aligned community to community,” said Farkas.
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He added residents should check for water leaks at home, because fixing them can help curb water use, and that water conservation in workplaces will also be critical.
If another Bearspaw failure occurs while reinforcement is ongoing, Thompson said crews will continue working.
"I want to ensure that you are as ready as you can be for this to happen, because until we have the replacement project completed and operational, our community remains at risk," said Thompson.
Replacement pipe still on schedule
The reinforcements are meant to support the pipe’s operation until a new parallel steel pipe is complete. On Friday, Thompson said the new pipe is still on schedule to be completed by December.
During the Bearspaw's upcoming shutdown, Thompson said the region’s water supply will again rely primarily on the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant. He noted the Glenmore Reservoir’s water storage has recovered well since December’s pipe break, and that the city expects a healthy water supply to draw from the mountain snowpack this spring.
Thompson said Calgarians should expect another Bearspaw shutdown this fall.
Header image courtesy of Unsplash.
This article, written by Andrew Jeffrey, was originally published by CBC News on Feb. 20, 2026.