Outdoor water use will be prohibited in Calgary beginning March 9 as the city takes the Bearspaw South Feeder Main out of service for reinforcement work on what officials describe as a pipeline in “critical condition.”
Graphic shows confirmed and potential reinforcement segments of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, according to the City of Calgary.
In a news release, the City of Calgary said the feeder main — a critical component of the city’s drinking water system — will be shut down for approximately four weeks while crews reinforce deteriorating sections of pipe.
The city said the line is experiencing “enhanced levels of deterioration” and stated it “cannot guarantee that the pipe will not break unexpectedly again before or after the reinforcement work takes place.”
If another break occurs before the planned reinforcements are completed, crews will complete portions of the reinforcement work at the same time as the break repair.
Confirmed reinforcement work will take place on six pipe segments along 16 Avenue N.W., near Sarcee Trail. Crews are also exploring three potential reinforcements at Point McKay Park, though further coordination is required due to nearby work associated with the feeder main replacement project.
Map shows the Bearspaw South Feeder Main alignment and planned reinforcement segments along 16 Avenue N.W., according to the City of Calgary.
Map shows planned closure of the westbound 16 Avenue N.W. exit ramp to Sarcee Trail N.W. and detour routing via 29 Avenue N.W., according to the City of Calgary.
Outdoor water use will not be permitted during the shutdown. Residents are being asked to reduce indoor water consumption by 25 to 30 litres per day by keeping showers to three minutes or less, flushing toilets only when necessary and running dishwashers and washing machines only when full.
The reinforcements are intended to support continued operation of the existing feeder main until a new parallel steel pipe is completed and can take over service from the current line.
The repair method will use a concrete reinforcement technique. According to the release, this involves exposing the pipe through excavation, constructing an exterior reinforcing steel cage, pouring concrete around the existing pipe and backfilling. The city noted the construction method is subject to change once the pipe is exposed.
The spring shutdown window will also allow additional work to proceed, including replacement of existing valves near the Shaganappi Pump Station, inspection of the steel pipe connection to the Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant and replacement of valves at 33rd Avenue and 89 Street.
Regional water supply
The City of Calgary provides bulk potable water and wastewater treatment services to several municipalities beyond its boundaries under its Policy on Regional Water, Wastewater and Stormwater Servicing.
According to information published on Calgary’s website, the city is responsible for delivering bulk water to regional customers up to Calgary’s municipal limits. Regional customers are responsible for transmission outside city limits, as well as local distribution and retail servicing.
Calgary lists the City of Airdrie among its regional customers for both water and wastewater services.
The regional servicing framework operates on what Calgary describes as a 100 per cent cost recovery basis. The city states that rates charged to regional customers are designed to recover the full cost of providing service, including infrastructure and volume delivered, and that “Calgarians do not pay for the services we provide to our regional customers.”
The City of Airdrie states on its website that it purchases treated drinking water from the City of Calgary.
According to Airdrie’s website, water treated in Calgary travels through supply mains to Airdrie reservoirs. From there, it is pumped through approximately 264 kilometres of distribution mains to homes, businesses and fire hydrants. The system is supplied through three transmission lines and stored in three reservoirs before local distribution.
As of publication, the City of Airdrie has not announced any outdoor water restrictions in response to Calgary’s planned feeder main shutdown.
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