Calgary Mayor Announces Stage 4 Water Restrictions for Critical Maintenance
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas has issued a direct reminder to residents regarding the imminent return of stringent outdoor water restrictions, acknowledging the inconvenience while emphasizing the necessity of the measures. Stage 4 water restrictions will be reinstated on March 9, 2026, and are projected to remain in effect for approximately four weeks. This decisive action is required to facilitate essential preventative maintenance on the city's most critical water transmission infrastructure.
Urgent Work on the Bearspaw South Feeder Main
The focus of this maintenance period is the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, a pipeline responsible for transporting roughly 60 percent of Calgary's treated water to underground reservoirs throughout the urban area. This vital conduit has experienced two ruptures within the past two years, highlighting its vulnerability and the urgency of reinforcement work.
Michael Thompson, General Manager of Infrastructure Services, detailed the scope of the project at a city hall news conference. Crews will reinforce nine specific sections of the feeder main that recent inspections have identified as being at risk of failure. The work sites are strategically located, with six positioned along 16th Avenue N.W. near Sarcee Trail and the remaining three situated close to Point McKay Park.
System Vulnerabilities and Conservation Targets
With the Bearspaw line out of service for maintenance, the city's water distribution capacity will be significantly reduced. The system will become more reliant on the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant to replenish supplies. Thompson provided a stark warning about the system's limitations, noting that Calgary's underground storage tanks hold only about a day's supply of water.
"If we use that storage up faster than we can refill it, it puts our system at risk," Thompson stated. He outlined two potential crisis scenarios if water demand outpaces supply during the shutdown:
- Insufficient water pressure and volume to adequately combat fires.
- A potential citywide boil-water advisory if pressure in the pipes drops too low.
To prevent these outcomes, the city is establishing a clear conservation target. Households and businesses are being asked to collectively limit daily water usage to a maximum of 500 million litres. This represents a slight increase from the 485-million-litre target set in early January following the feeder main's second failure, a target that was seldom met.
A Call for Community Cooperation
Mayor Farkas directly addressed the public's anticipated frustration, stating, "I know it's frustrating," while underscoring the shared responsibility. Data from the previous week showed Calgary's average daily water consumption ranged between 504 and 515 million litres. Achieving the new target will require a modest reduction of about three percent, equating to roughly 25 litres saved per person per day.
Thompson emphasized that while the Glenmore Reservoir currently maintains healthy storage levels, the treatment plant will be operating above its typical winter capacity. The success of the maintenance period and the avoidance of emergency scenarios hinge entirely on the community's ability to meet this conservation goal. The four-week restriction period is a proactive measure designed to secure the long-term reliability of Calgary's water distribution network, safeguarding the city against future failures of this essential infrastructure.
