A catastrophic failure of Calgary’s Bearspaw South Feeder Main on New Year’s Eve has left the city’s infrastructure crippled and residents under strict water conservation orders. The rupture occurred near 16th Avenue NW and Sarcee Trail, mirroring the high-stakes pipeline crisis the city faced in mid-2024.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Emergency Rescues and Road Damage
The break turned a major highway into a river within minutes on Tuesday night.
- Dramatic Rescues: Calgary Fire Department crews used specialized equipment to rescue 13 people from eight different vehicles. Several drivers were found perched on the roofs of their cars to stay above the freezing, chest-deep water.
- Highway Collapse: The Trans-Canada Highway (16th Ave NW) suffered “catastrophic buckling.” City engineers report that the pressure from the break caused the pavement to lift and shatter, making the road impassable.
- Current Closures: 16th Avenue NW remains closed in both directions from Sarcee Trail to Home Road.
Mandatory Water Restrictions
To prevent the city’s reservoirs from running dry, officials have triggered immediate emergency measures:
- Stage 4 Restrictions: An absolute ban on all outdoor water use.
- Indoor Conservation: Residents are asked to reduce water use by 25% by taking shorter showers and delaying laundry.
- Boil Water Advisory: A mandatory advisory is in place for the communities of Montgomery, Parkdale, Point McKay, and West Hillhurst.
The “Ticking Time Bomb”
City leadership has expressed frustration, as this is the second major failure of the same feeder main in less than two years. Mayor Jeromy Farkas has signaled that the city will move beyond “patchwork repairs” to prioritize a multi-billion dollar total replacement of the aging 11-kilometre line.
