Currently, 21 sections of Calgary’s Bearspaw water supply line need repairs, and there will be 16 to 18 excavation sites, according to the city’s latest update.
Although additional repairs are needed in the final phase of work (beyond the 16 originally identified), Michael Thompson, general manager of infrastructure services for the City of Calgary, said work is expected to be completed by the end of September.
The sections that need repairs are on 33rd Avenue and 16th Avenue NW. In addition, two additional repairs – one near Parkdale Boulevard and another near Crowchild Trail – will be made once the major repairs are completed and water restrictions are lifted.
This news comes after further review of PipeDiver data, Thompson said.
“We know this work will impact residents and businesses in the area,” he said.
“In the coming days, our team will be back on site and contacting residents most affected by the construction work along 33rd Avenue in the northwest.”
Thompson said they would contact affected residents directly, obtain contact information and find out if the homeowners have any special needs for their homes.
Crews will begin moving equipment to a green space at the corner of 83 Street and 33 Avenue NW. Materials, office trailers and other equipment needed for the repairs will be stored there. Citizens will also see road milling machines marking the areas where excavation sites will take place next week.
The five new locations were added following PipeDiver’s review after cable breaks were identified adjacent to areas that already needed urgent repairs, Thompson said.
“There may have been wire breaks, but not to a degree that required urgent repairs now. But as we’re going to open the site and excavate and repair, we want to go in now and reinforce those spots. We also found a few more when we completed the in-depth analysis of the data, and that’s how we arrived at the numbers we’ve announced today.”
Monitoring devices are added
While they work on the main line, the new fiber optic monitoring system will be installed on the line, Thompson said.
“This allows us to pinpoint the exact location of a cable break and monitor the condition of the line more closely,” he said.
“Crews will begin installing the fiber optic cable next week, so you may see them working with tripods and large fiber optic cable reels around the manholes as we prepare to repair the main line and continue with the fiber optic cable installation.”
This work would also require the closure of single-lane roads in the area, Thompson said.
Nicole Newton, director of natural environment and adaptation for the City of Calgary, stressed the importance of the repair work and the need for Calgarians to do what they can to conserve water. She said completing these repairs soon will secure Calgary’s water supply for the winter.
“Calgary relies on the Bow and Elbow rivers for water. The Glenmore Reservoir serves as our water reserve in the fall and winter. When the rivers are low, the Glenmore Reservoir needs to be sufficiently filled before winter so that we have enough water until spring,” said Newton.
“With the main supply line out of service, the majority of our water will come from Glenmore Reservoir. With repairs now completed, the reservoir can be refilled before winter, avoiding potential water shortages if the main supply line is not refilled during low river flows.”
The Bearspaw Water Treatment Plant is supplied by the Bow River, while the Glenmore Reservoir is supplied primarily by the much smaller Elbow River.
Newton also reiterated the message the City of Calgary has been sending since the ordeal began, saying essential services could be impacted if Calgary residents do not comply with a request to reduce residential and business water use by 25 per cent.
“We understand that reducing your water use affects both your home and your business, but sharing this responsibility and using less water is the best way to ensure safe water supplies for everyone,” she said.
While Thompson said utilities in the area would need to be checked, it is currently expected that residents and businesses along or near 33 Avenue NW will continue to have water service during the months-long repairs.
