Calgarians went through water rationing twice last summer as a result of the rupturing of the Bearspaw south feeder main break.
On Wednesday, the City of Calgary’s Infrastructure and Planning Committee (IPC) heard a presentation from city administration on proposed major projects to improve moving water reliably to all parts of the city.
The projects include a new water treatment plant, upgrading the Glenmore water treatment plant and adding three major feeder main projects.
According to administration the latter three projects will increase the capacity of the water system int the future and reduce reliance on existing feeder mains.
The North Calgary feeder main project will provide partial system redundancy to the Bearspaw South feeder main as well as to six other feeder mains and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2028.
The South Calgary project will provide the remaining system redundancy to the Bearspaw South feeder main and two other feeder mains. Administration noted the project is a new feeder main in early development designed to move water to south Calgary from the Bearspaw water treatment plant, with completion targetted by 2031.
The Crosstie feeder main will improve the redundancy of the feeder main network in northeast Calgary, said administration, improving system pressures in Saddle Ridge, Taradale, Martindale and Falconridge, with construction to finish by 2029.
In addition to the feeder mains, the city’s water treatment plants will be improved, including the Glenmore water treatment plant expansion, including a new treated water storage reservoir, high lift pump station and a new electrical building, expected to be completed by 2031.
A new water treatment plant is planned by the city along the Bow River as part of its water treatment expansion program, which should become operational in 2035.
Administration said the Bow River plant will provide fewer interruptions to Calgarians if critical maintenance work is required and provide reliability if something were to go wrong.
The Bearspaw South feeder main will continue to be an important part of Calgary’s water system, said administration, adding the report on the feeder main, presented to council last December, said the condition of the pipe was improved with the repairs made last year.
“We went through the water main feeder break in the summertime, we went through several various water main breaks through the winter time and the loss of service is something we don’t want Calgarians to experience, so we want to make sure the expenditures are properly placed and timed in the right area,” said Ward 7 Cllr. Terry Wong.
“It’s a piece of mind for all Calgarians. When we had a feeder main break, we were down to 60% capacity, and all Calgarians had to pitch in, as well as people in the surrounding communities.”
