Calgary city officials told council this week that last summer's water main rupture overwhelmed key parts of their emergency response — with confirmed impacts on Airdrie and other regional customers who depend on the same water system.
The internal review, presented April 29, details how the city managed a 111-day emergency following the rupture of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main in June 2024. It outlines gaps in staffing, coordination, and public communication, and confirms that Airdrie — which receives all of its treated water from Calgary — was part of the broader system affected during the response. The April 29 presentation was the latest in a series of council updates on the feeder main rupture, following multiple briefings and independent review discussions dating back to June 2024.
According to the City of Airdrie, "The City of Airdrie purchases water from the City of Calgary. The water is treated by the City of Calgary and then travels in supply mains to Airdrie reservoirs. From there, it is pumped through distribution mains to water service pipes and then flows out of the taps in our homes, businesses and out of fire hydrants." Airdrie's water is transmitted through three supply lines and stored in three reservoirs.
While Airdrie's service remained operational, the report confirms Calgary emergency teams maintained direct contact with the city and included it in water conservation coordination and updated Alberta Emergency Alerts.
"Staff provided continuous engagement with industrial, commercial, and institutional customers and neighbouring communities including the City of Airdrie... to explore opportunities to reduce water consumption," the report states.
System pressures revealed
The rupture, detected on June 5, 2024, triggered a five-phase emergency response that would stretch through the summer. Calgary's internal review confirms the system was under immediate pressure from day one.
The city activated its Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and Water Tactical Operations Centre (H2OC), declared a State of Local Emergency, and implemented Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions. Supply flows from the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant were reconfigured to help maintain service across the regional network.
The report describes the rupture as one of Calgary's most significant infrastructure emergencies. Over 700 staff were involved in a multi-stage repair and inspection process that concluded on September 23. In addition to the initial failure, crews identified and replaced 21 more compromised pipe sections along the feeder main.
The response involved more than 50 external partners, including Calgary Emergency Management Agency members and engineering contractors, in addition to over 700 city staff.
Although the rupture occurred within Calgary, the report confirms it affected customers throughout the system.
"The declining potable water supply and fire suppression concerns threatened the life safety of both Calgarians, critical customers (like hospitals), and neighbouring communities," the report states.
Operational weaknesses outlined
The report identifies nine areas for improvement, focusing on staffing shortages, coordination breakdowns, and inconsistent public communication.
The H2OC operated for the full 111 days, but with a limited number of specialized staff.
"This emergency required highly specialized expertise in key positions... however, this limited the options on who could staff those positions."
Many staff worked extended hours or shifted schedules to maintain 24/7 operations. The report recommends expanding the pool of H2OC-trained personnel to improve future capacity.
It also notes that overlapping responsibilities between the EOC and H2OC created operational ambiguity.
"Clarity around roles and responsibilities was a significant discussion point," the report states. "There is a need to have a strong delineation... and clarity around how groups such as the EOC, H2OC, Communications and Crisis Communications will work together in future responses."
Public communication was also a challenge. Early messaging focused on water conservation, but had to be revised as the full extent of the rupture became clearer.
"As the event progressed and the impacts became apparent, messaging needed to change; this negatively impacted the public trust of citizens who felt more information should have been given."
Formal response changes underway
In response to the review, Calgary has initiated five reforms:
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A March 2025 amendment to the Water Utility Bylaw to define allowed uses and enforcement under staged water restrictions.
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Revisions to the Municipal Emergency Plan to clarify roles across departments and emergency response units.
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Expanded crisis communications capacity and clearer coordination between operational and public-facing teams.
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New staff wellness and support measures for long-duration emergencies.
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Updated use of the Incident Command System to improve decision-making and information flow.
The city says these changes are now being integrated into departmental work plans. No new capital or operating funding was requested in connection with the report.
Regional infrastructure implications
The review does not identify any service loss in Airdrie. But it confirms Calgary worked directly with Airdrie and other municipalities to manage demand, maintain flow, and coordinate communication.
Because Airdrie's water is treated and transmitted entirely through Calgary's infrastructure, any future system failure will again require coordinated emergency response. Any future disruption to Calgary's transmission network would again require operational adjustments to maintain Airdrie's water supply — a dependency the report confirms was tested during this event.
The report concludes: "The City is undertaking actions to further strengthen future responses, ensuring an even more effective response to future emergencies."
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