Approximately 80% of the new Bearspaw South Feeder Main has been installed as Calgary races to complete the replacement pipeline and put it into service by the end of 2026.
The City of Calgary accelerated the project because of the critical condition of the existing feeder main and its importance to the city’s drinking water system. The project involves installing a parallel steel pipeline of the same diameter that will eventually take over service from the existing line.
More than 90% of the materials needed to complete the project are now in Calgary, including 93% of the required steel pipe, according to the city.
“We are pleased to have more than 90% of the project materials required to complete the project on-site in Calgary, including 93% for the steel pipe,” said Darren Finney, the city’s manager of major projects. “Crews continue to make strong progress across both stages, and we remain on track for the new feeder main to be in service by the end of the year.”
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Stage A construction began in January and involved approximately 3.7 kilometres of microtunnelling beneath existing infrastructure. Installation of the concrete carrier pipe and new steel feeder main between the Shaganappi Pump Station and 73 Street N.W. is now complete.
Crews are continuing work on valve chambers, pipe welding and other supporting infrastructure in the Stage A area.
Stage B construction began in June using open-cut methods along 34 Avenue N.W. in Bowness. More than 1.6 kilometres of steel pipe has been installed, representing about 61% of the Stage B alignment.
Pipe installation is complete on seven of 13 blocks, with work underway on another three. Four crews are working simultaneously, while roads, sidewalks and property access are being restored as construction progresses. Landscaping restoration is expected to continue into spring 2027.
Shutdown and water restrictions planned
The existing Bearspaw South Feeder Main will eventually need to be shut down so crews can connect the replacement pipe to Calgary’s water system.
The tie-in work will involve open-cut construction at several locations and will require Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions and indoor water conservation measures.
Commissioning is expected to begin in December. Once the new pipe is connected, water restrictions can be lifted, but the feeder main will still need to be filled and disinfected and undergo water-quality testing before entering service. The city cautioned that the timing remains subject to construction progress and project logistics.
Additional repairs planned along Parkdale Boulevard
Calgary is also planning additional repairs this fall to a separate section of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main between the Shaganappi Pump Station and Memorial Pump Station along Parkdale Boulevard and Memorial Drive N.W.
Recent condition assessments identified locations along the 1,500-mm-diameter section of the feeder main that require proactive repairs.
That section is separate from the 1,950-mm-diameter pipe currently being replaced and has a different condition profile. According to the city, assessments show the 1,500-mm section remains in good overall condition and does not require replacement. Instead, crews will undertake targeted repairs intended to maintain its long-term reliability.
The work will involve 24-hour construction, with crews excavating at repair locations, removing sections of the existing pipe and replacing them with new steel segments.
