Calgary city council is gearing up to explore a report centered on the 2024 “catastrophic” feeder main break, just one week after another breach occurred on the same pipeline in the northwestern part of the city.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas announced a special council meeting set for Wednesday to publicly address the report’s findings, detailing the causes of the 2024 break and its implications. Last December, a comprehensive 600-page report was presented to the council, outlining the deterioration and failure of the pipe. However, some criticism arose as it did not offer a clear solution to prevent similar issues in the future.
Farkas emphasized the need to swiftly implement the recommendations from the latest report to secure a replacement pipe within the next two years. He underscored the necessity to address both the immediate emergency and organizational aspects related to the incident.
Following a water main break in Calgary’s Bowness neighborhood on December 30, significant flooding occurred, leading to water restrictions and a boil-water advisory for several communities in the northwest, which was lifted recently.
Despite the advisory being lifted, water usage in Calgary remained high on Monday, surpassing the daily water use goal by 29 million liters. Farkas stressed the importance of enhanced communication regarding water conservation and the value of water as a critical resource.
Emphasizing the need for proactive measures, Farkas highlighted the importance of ongoing maintenance to prevent future incidents like the recent water main breaks. He urged residents to continue conserving water and emphasized the significance of mindful water usage.
As the city’s population approaches two million, Farkas stressed the importance of preserving water within the city’s infrastructure to reduce reliance on external water sources. He noted that Calgary’s water loss due to leaky pipes prompted the launch of a program to mitigate water loss.
Efforts are underway to inspect and repair the broken feeder main, with a new section delivered to the construction site for installation after inspection. The city is also preparing to bring another feeder main back into service to enhance water delivery in the area.
A temporary water service interruption is scheduled in Bowness to inspect the feeder main, affecting a limited number of homes and businesses, with affected individuals being directly notified by the city.