Water Main Break Newsletter

Dear Ward 8 residents,

In sending out our first Ward newsletter, I was not expecting to be sending a message about a major water main break. But, as your Ward 8 Councillor, I am committed to providing timely updates, important facts, and all the information youneed to understand what is happening, what we are doing, and what you can expect moving forward.

Our team is also working on responding to non-water main-related issues. We are continuing to catch up on all the correspondence we’ve received since October and will continue to do so throughout this critical infrastructure issue. Please Contact Us anytime.

Your input is important to me and the whole team, and I look forward to working with all of Ward 8 residents over the next four years. 

For now, we remain focused on ensuring Calgarians have access to the safe, reliable services they need until repairs are completed. 

Calgary is facing a serious situation if the city is not able to reduce water consumptio immediately.

Mayor Farkas warned on Monday, January 5 that, “Without changes, we'll enter loss-of-life territory, where firefighting and emergency response may be compromised. This is serious. Reducing use now protects lives and keeps essential services running. Please conserve.”

Since the water main break on December 30, 2025, Calgary has only seen one day (January 1) when water consumption was under the target threshold of 485 million litres per day. January 6 was the second day in a row of unsustainable water use. This is putting the city at risk of depleting storage reservoirs faster than the water treatment plants can replenish them.

Calgary is under Stage 4 Water Restrictions, prohibiting all outdoor water use. All Calgarians should continue to reduce indoor water use – please be mindful of your water usage and help us get back into the safe zone!

• For tips on how to be mindful of your water usage, visit Saving water indoors.
• For updates on the repair and links to daily updates, visit: Repairs and restoring water updates.
• Ongoing updates, alerts, and information on water restrictions are posted here: Bearspaw water main break.
• For more information about the Independent Review Panel and its members, visit here: Bearspaw Feeder Main Independent review.
• Other reports about the incident and findings during the break are already publicly available here: Bearspaw South Feeder Main incident.

Crews continue to make steady progress at the break site along 16 Avenue N.W. The water in the site has been pumped out and drained, the affected piece of the pipe has been excavated, cut and removed. A camera inspection inside the pipe is underway to gather detailed information about the extent and cause of the damage.

It’s important to note that the City has the necessary materials to do the repair from the previous water main break, so once the inspection is complete, repairs can begin with thorough testing to take place after that. A clearer timeline for us to return to normal will be available after the inspection is complete, in the next couple of days. Water restrictions are expected to remain in place, but updates will be made available to the public as soon as we know more.

16th Avenue N.W. eastbound has partially reopened following inspection and coordination by City crews. Motorists should continue to expect construction activity in the area while repairs are ongoing. All traffic updates and alternative entry points are available here: Calgary traffic report and road closures.

Council is currently waiting for the Independent Review of the 2024 water main incident. The review will be released to Council on the evening of January 6. A Special Meeting of Council is scheduled for January 7 at 1:30PM for the full presentation of the Independent Review from the Chair and Panel. Once the report is made public, our office will update our website with the details of this report.

This crucial review will provide more insight into what happened during the Bearspaw South Feeder Main incident in 2024 and what changes are needed to ensure long-term stability of our infrastructure.

The Report and the Independent Review Panel responsible for its preparation and delivery are both entirely independent from Administration and City Council. This ensures that the information we receive is accurate and free from any outside influence.

Updates to the public will continue to be provided on our website and on my social media as they are received, and as your Councillor, I am committed to sharing accurate, fact-based information so we can move forward and make necessary changes to our city’s critical infrastructure. 

Sincerely,
Nathaniel Schmidt
City of Calgary Ward 8 Councillor 
Calgary.ca/Ward8