A sudden water main break flooded the basement of Bushwakker Brewpub in Regina on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, forcing the popular Warehouse-area pub to close until at least next week, said bar manager Grant Frew on Friday.
Wading through knee-deep water, Frew searched for the source of the flooding. “I could hear the water rushing from the south end of the basement,” he told the Regina Leader-Post. “I flicked on a light and that’s where I could see it looked like a number of, almost like, water fountains were gurgling up through the floor.”
Devastation and Cleanup
As he observed empty kegs floating and business computers submerged, Frew knew there wasn’t much he could do. “The devastation was just so huge,” he said. The brewpub has been closed since the leak, and staff are dealing with cleanup. Although Bushwakker’s social media suggested a possible reopening next week, “things are changing rapidly and we’re discovering more and more things that were damaged,” Frew said. “As more things are discovered, reopening keeps getting pushed back.”
City Response
The City of Regina confirmed it received notice of the issue on Wednesday afternoon and responded immediately to the Dewdney Avenue location. Crews began excavating the same day and, on Thursday, determined the water service connection leading into the building was leaking, said Carolyn Kalim, the city’s director of water, waste and environment, during a news conference on Friday.
As the leak was on the city’s side of the connection, under the sidewalk, it remains unclear how water entered the building, she said. Kalim noted the city has “a good game plan to go back in and make the repairs,” but significant work remains on Bushwakker’s end.
Historic Plumbing Challenges
Kalim did not know how long the line had been leaking but said the city is “taking ownership” to restore service. The age of the plumbing infrastructure presents further challenges, she said, noting that part of it—where the leak was located—is cast iron. “This is very historic plumbing on older buildings,” Kalim said. “It’s currently acting as both the fire suppression and the water supply service, which is unique and different from what we would experience on a new type of construction.”
It will take time to work with a plumber to re-facilitate the connection with the brewpub’s building, she added, noting that Bushwakker’s also has “a lot of work to get done on their internal plumbing side for us to tie into.” Kalim said the work should take about three full days once the business is ready, but she does not expect it to begin earlier than Monday.
