Bearspaw feeder main to be shut down again for urgent repairs to Calgary's water system

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says the city's water distribution system will require further major repairs and the Bearspaw feeder main will shut down again at the end of the month, requiring a temporary return to Stage 4 water restrictions.

She made the announcement at a news conference Wednesday after seeing the results of the PipeDiver inspection in the Bearspaw feeder main. A PipeDiver is an electromagnetic and ultrasonic pipe inspection tool used to monitor large diameter water pipes.

Sixteen new hot spots were detected along the key feeder main, and planned maintenance will be carried out over the coming weeks. City officials say additional hot spots will likely be discovered as repair work gets underway.

"To be clear, the pipe is not facing an immediate break at any of these sites. Rather, there are enough points of weakness or strain in these sections that maintenance work needs to be completed before the end of September," Gondek said.

Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions will return Aug. 26 as repairs begin. In the meantime, Stage 1 restrictions remain in effect. 

Work is estimated to be completed by Sept. 23; however, officials say this date could change.

Under Stage 4 outdoor water use restrictions, no water use is permitted outside. This includes sprinklers, hose watering, hand watering and watering new grass, as well as washing cars, windows, sidewalks, driveways and walkways. Filling pools, hot tubs, fountains or other decorative features are also prohibited under Stage 4. For a full list of what is and is not allowed under Calgary's water use restrictions visit the city's website.

Officials said the northwest communities of Bowness and Montgomery will be affected by repair work as the city plans to shut down the Bearspaw feeder main and excavate certain areas for repairs.

Hot spots along 33rd Avenue N.W., Parkdale Boulevard and 16th Avenue N.W. need immediate repair and will be prioritized beginning Aug. 28.

Instead of replacing sections of the pipe as was done previously, the city plans to reinforce problem sections of its water system using concrete to encase damaged pipe.

Residents and businesses across Calgary will once again be asked to conserve water during that time, but businesses will not be asked to close unless absolutely necessary.

Michael Thompson, Calgary's general manager of infrastructure services, said businesses will be asked to reduce their water consumption by 25 per cent beginning Aug. 26. He added work to fix the issues is planned to be ongoing 24/7, and there will not be a boil water advisory or need for water wagons in Calgary communities during the repairs.

No public pools or arenas will be forced to close as a result of the repairs, officials said. 

"We need to do what we can to lower the risk of another unplanned failure in the feeder main," Thompson said.

"We also need to make the repairs within a specific time frame to ensure we can maintain Calgary's water supply through the winter."

While the Bearspaw feeder main is shut down, Calgary, as well as the surrounding communities of Strathmore, Airdrie, Chestermere, and Tsuut'ina will rely on the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant to distribute water across the city. 

The Bearspaw plant gets its water from the Bow River, while the Glenmore plant gets water from the Elbow River. Thompson said the Glenmore Reservoir acts as a "bank" of sorts for Calgary's water supply during the winter months.

River levels are usually high in the spring and summer. However, with only the Glenmore plant supplying water to all of Calgary during the bulk of repairs, the city needs to ensure there is enough water in the bank for the winter, Thompson said.

"We need to act now so that we can get the urgent repairs completed in time for river flows to refill the Glenmore Reservoir for the winter. We also need to minimize the risk of the feeder main breaking unexpectedly in the winter, when we would not be able to refill the reservoir because river flows are too low," Thompson said.

The initial feeder main break is expected to cost Calgary between $20 million and $25 million, according to the city. This does not include lost revenue associated with the break or costs associated with upcoming repair work, officials said.

The city will provide another update on its water system on Friday.

Calgary turned off a third pump at the Bearspaw water treatment out of caution last Friday. Flow to the key feeder main remains at 70 per cent of its maximum capacity.

Calgary has been experiencing ongoing water supply issues that were triggered by a catastrophic failure in the Bearspaw south feeder main on June 5. 

Under Stage 1 restrictions, the use of sprinklers and in-ground sprinkling systems are permitted for two hours per week.

Residents are allowed to water using those methods but must follow the city's watering schedule — even number addresses are permitted to water on Wednesday or Saturday, and odd number addresses are allowed to water Thursday or Sunday.

Watering with sprinklers and in-ground systems is allowed between these hours, according to the city's website:

• 4 a.m. to 7 a.m. 
• 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Watering using a hose with a trigger nozzle is allowed at any time, according to the city.

Under existing Stage 1 outdoor water use restrictions, the following water-related activities remain prohibited:

• Washing driveways and sidewalks.
• Washing vehicles in the driveway or street.
• Washing windows or exterior building surfaces, unless it's done by a business licensed to do so.
• Filling fountains and decorative water features. Bird baths, however, are allowed.