Alberta launches review of Calgary water main breaks

Alberta has asked Calgary to provide documents back to 2004 as part of a review into repeated ruptures of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main; city officials say the pipe has been repaired, water is safe to drink and limited restrictions remain in place.

The Alberta government has opened a formal review into recent ruptures of Calgary's Bearspaw South Feeder Main and has requested extensive city records dating to 2004 to support that review. Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams said the step is intended to ensure a safe and reliable water supply for Calgary and neighbouring communities. Mayor Jeromy Farkas said the city will cooperate and reported that the feeder main has been repaired and water tests show it is safe. Officials say some water-use restrictions remain while the repaired line is returned to service. Known details: - The province has set a Jan. 27 deadline for Calgary to provide council and committee records, including records from closed meetings, plus statistics, media reports and risk-management and monitoring documents. - The Bearspaw South Feeder Main delivers about 60 percent of treated water used in Calgary and nearby municipalities and has ruptured twice in under two years, most recently late last month and previously in summer 2024. - An independent panel’s recent report traced fragility in the system to decades of underinvestment and linked concerns back to a 2004 rupture. - Political leaders have exchanged criticism: Premier Danielle Smith linked past administrations to the problem, and Naheed Nenshi, who was Calgary mayor from 2010 to 2021, rejected those accusations and criticised the provincial approach. - City infrastructure officials say the pipe repair is complete, water is deemed safe to drink, and the remaining task is to bring the line back into service gradually. Summary: The provincial review aims to examine causes, records and the city's capacity to sustain essential water services and requests extensive records to do so. Calgary must provide the requested documents by Jan. 27, while city crews continue a cautious process to restore full service; officials have said restrictions could be lifted by the end of the week if the line remains stable.