Calgary Discloses Construction Site Locations for Critical Water Main Replacement Project
The City of Calgary has released comprehensive details regarding the staging areas for its urgently accelerated project to replace the problematic Bearspaw South feeder main. Municipal officials confirmed that construction preparations are already actively progressing, with crews scheduled to begin mobilizing at designated locations starting this Friday.
Specific Staging Locations Identified
According to a Thursday news release from municipal authorities, three primary staging areas have been established for the critical infrastructure project. These strategic locations include:
- Edworthy Park near a section of the Bow River pathway
- Shouldice Park between 16th Avenue and Bowness Road N.W.
- Along Sarcee Trail near 73rd Street N.W. and Bonita Crescent N.W.
The initial construction phase, designated as Stage A, will extend the replacement line from the Shaganappi Pump Station to 73rd Street N.W. on the west side of the Bow River, establishing the foundation for this extensive municipal undertaking.
Urgent Timeline and Project Details
The replacement project involves installing a parallel steel pipe of identical dimensions to the existing Bearspaw South feeder main, which has experienced two significant ruptures within less than two years. City officials emphasize that the new pipeline will gradually assume service responsibilities from the current feeder main, while the existing infrastructure will receive reinforcement during both spring and fall seasons.
"While there's water flowing through the pipe right now, we know there could be another break at any time in the future, which means the six-kilometre replacement main needs to be constructed as quickly as possible," stated David Duckworth, the city's chief administrative officer, during council's question period on Tuesday.
Duckworth further elaborated on the accelerated timeline, noting that "We thought we had a couple of years to be able to do this construction work. We know now this is not the case, so we are moving at light speed to make sure we actually construct and implement a new main as quickly as possible." The municipal government anticipates completing the replacement main by December 2026.
Contracting Decisions and Water System Vulnerabilities
In an unprecedented move responding to the feeder main's most recent rupture on December 30, the city cancelled the competitive bid process for the project. Michael Thompson, general manager of infrastructure services, explained to council that this decision enabled the selection of vendors capable of commencing work immediately.
The sole-source contract has been awarded to Ward & Burke Microtunneling Ltd., with Graham Construction & Engineering Inc. serving as construction manager. The request for proposal had been issued in December with a scheduled conclusion date of January 29 before the cancellation.
Thompson addressed concerns from Ward 10 Coun. Andre Chabot regarding water system vulnerabilities, revealing that the Glenmore treatment plant must operate at triple its normal capacity to replenish Calgary's treated water system when the Bearspaw South feeder main becomes inoperative. Due to reduced Elbow River flows during winter months, the Glenmore Reservoir currently possesses water storage capacity sufficient for only two additional potential ruptures before spring runoff replenishes the reservoir—approximately equivalent to six weeks of water supply.
Each previous rupture of the feeder main has plunged Calgary into extended periods of water restrictions lasting multiple weeks, underscoring the critical nature of this infrastructure replacement initiative. The accelerated project represents a significant municipal investment in water system reliability and resilience for Calgary residents and businesses.
