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5h ago

Calgary Water Use Rises to Strained Levels as Crews Race to Repair Ruptured Feeder Main

City urges conservation after usage tops its sustainable target.

City crews check the damage on the Trans-Canada Highway from a reported water main break in Calgary on Wednesday.
Cars stranded on the Trans-Canada Highway after a water main break in Calgary, on Dec. 31, 2025.
Saud Abbasi, owner of Pizza Bae in Montgomery, was among those stuck in the flood caused by the feeder main break on Dec. 30, 2025, and the aftermath of the rupture is posing challenges to his business.
City crews continue to work on water main break in Calgary on Friday, January 2, 2026.

Overview

  • Daily consumption reached 493 million litres on Friday, exceeding the 485‑million‑litre goal and pushing the system into the yellow, or strained, zone.
  • Crews are working around the clock to remove the damaged section of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, with officials targeting a repair window of roughly 7 to 10 days and aiming for mid‑January completion.
  • Stage 4 outdoor restrictions remain in place in Calgary and neighbouring communities, and boil‑water advisories continue for parts of Parkdale, Montgomery, Point McKay and West Hillhurst.
  • The ruptured line supplies about 60% of the city’s treated water and released nearly 80 million litres, leaving roughly 3,100 households under boil‑water advisories and raising concerns about support for fire response if demand stays high.
  • Premier Danielle Smith blamed former mayor and current NDP leader Naheed Nenshi and said the province may consider oversight tied to funding, while an independent review panel is set to present findings to council on Jan. 13.