Bowness Submerged Again: Bearspaw Feeder Main Break Sparks Familiar Fears, Traffic Chaos
People are talking about a big water main break near Sarcee Trail causing some major detours and service disruptions. The city is on it, but it’s a bit of a mess right now. Stay tuned for updates!
Just when you thought Calgary’s holiday season couldn’t get any more dramatic, our city plunged into a familiar nightmare. Late on December 30, 2025, a significant water main break erupted east of the Sarcee Trail/16 Ave N.W. interchange in Bowness. Initial assessments point to the ominous culprit: the Bearspaw South Feedermain, leaving Calgarians bracing for a replay of past woes. This isn’t just a leaky pipe; it’s a localized catastrophe causing significant flooding and road closures that are messing with your morning commute and evening plans.
For residents and businesses in Bowness and surrounding communities, this means immediate disruption. We’re talking 2,000 homes and 100 businesses currently grappling with service interruptions, with the true extent of the damage still under wraps. The City of Calgary has sprung into action, activating its Emergency Operations Centre and the Municipal Emergency Plan, while the Calgary Police Service and Fire Department are on scene, directing traffic away from the chaos. If you usually traverse that area, consider your route cancelled and check the City’s dedicated roads and traffic page before you even think about leaving your driveway.
The mere mention of the Bearspaw South Feedermain sends shivers down the spine of any long-time Calgarian. This isn't just any pipe; it's the largest feeder main in our entire water network, supplying treated water to a huge chunk of our city. Remember June 2024? That catastrophic rupture led to city-wide water restrictions, impacting every single one of us. While the City is currently assessing water pressure to determine the exact impact on neighbouring communities, the echoes of that previous incident are impossible to ignore. Will we be conserving water for weeks again?
Why Critics are Concerned (And You Should Be Too)
This isn't an isolated incident, and for many Calgarians, it feels like déjà vu, but with a heavier price tag. Jacqui Esler, Executive Director of the Mainstreet Bowness Business Improvement Area (BIA), perfectly captured the city’s frustration, stating, "We are at the mercy of this old infrastructure. We're just dealing with pipes that break all the time and we were just the victim of two in three to four months." Her words hit home for every Calgarian who feels like our city is constantly patching up old problems instead of building resilient solutions.
And here’s where your wallet comes in. You might recall that your utility rates are set to climb an extra $5.09 per month in 2025, followed by another $5.46 per month in 2026. This isn't for fun; it's to repay a hefty $1 billion loan approved by City Council last year, earmarked specifically for various water infrastructure projects. The big question, as Bowness floods again, is: are we truly investing in a future where these breaks are a rare anomaly, or are we simply paying more for the same old headaches?
As the City gathers more information and works tirelessly on repairs, the best thing Calgarians can do is stay informed, avoid the affected areas, and prepare for potential service impacts. Keep an eye on the official City of Calgary channels for updates. We’ll be watching closely to see how quickly our leaders address not just this break, but the underlying infrastructure vulnerabilities that continue to plague our growing city.
