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CALGARY, ALTA — Looming water restrictions for residents in Alberta’s largest city will be a bit more lenient this time around, but officials maintain that every flush counts.

The Bearspaw South Feeder Main, which carries 60 per cent of Calgary’s treated water, first ruptured in June 2024 and again in December, prompting rationing.

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas said a third set of restrictions, scheduled to begin March 9 and last four weeks, will allow city crews to reinforce nine sections of the feeder main with concrete.

He said the latest round means residents will again have to keep showers under three minutes, run only full laundry and dish cycles, and flush toilets when necessary. No water use is allowed outdoors.

“I know some Calgarians will feel frustrated,” Farkas said at a news conference Monday.

“Some may roll their eyes at another request for conservation, and I understand that it’s a lot to do, but it’s very small actions that can have a huge impact across our city.”

One major difference is how much water the city will strive to use every day.

In January, residents failed to stay below the threshold of 485 million litres per day, hovering at an unsustainable level of water use by the city’s metrics.

In response, the city is increasing its daily water use threshold to roughly 500 million litres.

Michael Thompson, the city’s general manager of Infrastructure Services, says Calgary is better prepared to temporarily operate the Glenmore water treatment plant as the city’s sole water supplier.

Thompson also said there is “no concern with the volume of water in the Glenmore Reservoir.”

He said the Glenmore plant has returned to water levels similar to those before the most recent pipe breakage, and will have spring inflows from the nearby Elbow River.

Farkas said there’s also a construction plan for another water main to run alongside its faulty sister to “fix this problem once and for all.”

It is set to be finished in December, he said.

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