{"id":510853,"date":"2026-03-03T04:28:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T04:28:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/510853\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T04:28:14","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T04:28:14","slug":"calgary-warns-residents-of-consequences-if-water-use-enters-risky-red-zone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/510853\/","title":{"rendered":"Calgary warns residents of consequences if water use enters \u2018risky red zone\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

The City of Calgary is making another plea for water conservation ahead of next week\u2019s planned shutdown of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main for emergency repairs.<\/p>\n

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The work will focus on nine sections of the pipe in critical need along 16th Avenue N.W., near Sarcee Trail.<\/p>\n

The shutdown of the Feeder Main, which normally supplies about 60 per cent of the city\u2019s water, is scheduled to begin on March 9 and is expected to last four weeks. During that time, the city will rely on the smaller Glenmore Water Treatment Plant for Calgary\u2019s water supply.<\/p>\n

\u201cSimply put, we will not be able to get as much water as usual from our plants to your taps. \u201cOur underground storage tanks can hold about a day\u2019s supply of water. If we use that storage up faster than we can refill it. It puts our system at risk,\u201d said Michael Thompson, the city\u2019s general manager of infrastructure services.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIf our demand is too high, we could face situations where we do not have enough water to fight fires. The pressure in our pipes drops too low, which could lead to a city while wide boil-water advisory. Or we have a major failure at our plant or elsewhere in the system and no water is available at all.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tThe emergency repairs to the Bearspaw Feeder Main, which are scheduled to start on March 9, will focus on nine critically ill sections of the pipe along 16 Avenue N.W.\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tSource: City of Calgary\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

The city is asking residents to help out with reducing the city\u2019s overall water consumption by about 3 per cent per day, or about 25 litres per person. Recommended steps include eliminating all outdoor water use, skipping toilet flushes, reducing showers to three minutes or less and only running dishwashers and washing machines with a full load.<\/p>\n

However, during this round of water restrictions, the city has also slightly raised the total amount of water use it considers sustainable on a daily basis, which it estimated at 485 million litres during the last round of restrictions.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ve learned how to move water more effectively and efficiently through the network. So we\u2019re taking those lessons learned as well as the preparation work that we\u2019re doing and we\u2019ve been able to move that target up to 500 million litres per day,\u201d Thompson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow, obviously, if we can save water and be below that target, it gives the plant more of a time to rest and for us to do a bit of work in the plant. And so we would really encourage everyone to save as much water as you can. The more we\u2019re under that 500-million litre, target, the better it is for all of us \u2014 but 500 million litres will be our new target.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCalgary water restrictions for feeder main repairs to return in March\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Thompson said city staff will also be taking steps to conserve water. Measures include washing fire trucks, transit busses and other city vehicles only when necessary for health and safety reasons, adjusting cleaning procedures to conserve water, checking shower heads, toilets and pools for leaks, filling kiddie pools and hot tubs only when required for health reasons, reducing flooding in ice rinks and encouraging city employees to work from home if they can.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019re encouraging Calgarians to do absolutely everything that they can in terms of managing their own, water use,\u201d Mayor Jeromy Farkas said. \u201cWe\u2019re encouraging employers to take those steps as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday.<\/p>\n

Farkas also cautioned that this is one of two planned, shutdowns, with the second taking place in the fall. \u201cBut there is nothing to say that the pipe could not unexpectedly break even in the summer months.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicole Newton, the city\u2019s director of climate, environment and ecology, said the city has also been working with the local business community to help them reduce their water use and has further contingency plans prepared \u201cif we are in that risky red, red zone.\u201d<\/p>\n

The city plans to begin moving the equipment needed for the repairs into place this week.<\/p>\n

The westbound exit from 16th Avenue N.W. onto Sarcee Trail will remain closed.<\/p>\n

Some preliminary work, including removing sections of the concrete barrier that divides westbound and eastbound 16th Avenue N.W., will also take place.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFrustration in Calgary over water infrastructure woes\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\tMoratorium on development near feeder main<\/p>\n

As an extra precaution, the City of Calgary is limiting development near the ailing feeder main for the rest of the year.<\/p>\n

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The measures include a ban on digging within 10 metres of the existing feeder main, with limits on underground utility or service work on nearby roads.<\/p>\n

According to the city, pile driving and activities that cause heavy vibrations will also be cautioned against.<\/p>\n

\n\t\tRelated News\n\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tCalgary water restrictions for feeder main repairs to return in March\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\tCalgary water usage spiked Sunday as testing on feeder main set to begin\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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Thompson said the measures are neccessary due to the worsening condition of the feeder main.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe pipe is terminally ill, it\u2019s in worse condition than we thought,\u201d he told reporters. \u201cWe want to limit any disturbance around that pipe to really limit the potential that the pipe could break again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the measures won\u2019t impact Calgarians who want to do renovation work or landscaping activities, the Calgary Inner City Builders Association (CICBA) said it would affect around 200 properties, including 35 with active building permits.<\/p>\n

CICBA president Shameer Gaidhar told Global News infill development in the area isn\u2019t impacting the feeder main.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not due to infill construction,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s due to the proximity to the line.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Gaidhar, city officials will be looking at redevelopment projects in the area on a case-by-case basis.<\/p>\n

However, some residents in the area are welcoming the limit on new construction.<\/p>\n

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\u201cI think that\u2019s good because there\u2019s been way too much development around here,\u201d Paige Stone told Global News.<\/p>\n

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas defended the moratorium Monday afternoon, and noted the feeder main\u2019s replacement project cannot face any interruptions if the pipe were to rupture for a third time.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fully support the difficult but necessary decisions of city staff on this,\u201d Farkas said. \u201cThis is a neccesary step to avoid further disruption in the area that could cause unneccesary delays to the project.\u201d<\/p>\n

The moratorium will remain in place through to December, when the feeder main\u2019s replacement is operational, city officials said.<\/p>\n

That project, according to Thompson, is still on schedule.<\/p>\n

On Thursday and Saturday of this week, the city of Calgary will also be hosting two drop-in open houses for residents who want to know more about the work that\u2019s being done.<\/p>\n

Details available on the city\u2019s website.<\/a><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\u2018Catastrophic\u2019 Calgary water main break prompts usage limits\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

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