The City of Calgary is finalizing its plans to repair several areas of concern along the Bearspaw feeder main at the end of August and vowing to release definitive details this week.
During a public update Tuesday, city officials said crews will be surveying areas in Bowness and Montgomery as soon as Thursday to help identify where the feeder main and utilities are located underground.
The work is expected to take two days and may require workers to access the front or backyards of private properties.
“That’s helping to inform us, while we’re doing our planning work, to help identify exactly where the water feeder main is in relation to other utilities so that we can think through how we’re going to do the repair work and about those impacts to adjacent homeowners,” City of Calgary Infrastructure Services general manager Michael Thompson said.
Construction is set to begin on Aug. 28 to repair 16 areas of weakness detected in the feeder main pipe under 33 Avenue N.W., 16 Avenue N.W., and Parkdale Boulevard.
Nearby residents have raised concerns about a lack of information about impacts from the work, which is expected to be 24/7 until the repairs are complete at the end of September.
“It’s really important that the city assess the impact of construction and the impact to residents of the street,” Ward 1 Coun. Sonya Sharp told Global News.
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Sharp said she’s heard many concerns from residents about how information has been shared with them so far, nearly a week after the city revealed the issues along the critical water line and close to two weeks before construction is set to begin.
“I think we went a little bit too early with not having enough information in hand,” Sharp said. “Residents have to plan.”
Thompson said impact assessments are ongoing to ensure “all aspects of daily life have been taken into account,” which includes accessibility, as well as impacts on vehicle and pedestrian traffic, parking, city services, mail and delivery services, and noise.
Definitive details are expected to be revealed on Thursday, with updates on construction scheduled for twice per week during the repairs; residents are also encouraged to sign up for updates on the city’s website.
Stage 4 water restrictions will take effect on Aug. 26, two days before construction, which prohibits outdoor water use.
“Throughout the repair work, you will continue to have access to water,” City of Calgary leader of environmental planning and policy Rehana Rajabali said. “And while we know it is a hardship, we will need your help to ensure that our water is used wisely.”
According to Rajabali, the city will cease watering plants, flowers and grass, and will pause the washing of city-owned vehicles unless there are health and safety requirements.
City pools and arenas will also be implementing water-saving measures including reducing how often ice rinks are flooded, with signage going up inside facilities to encourage people to conserve water.
Rajabali encouraged residents to prepare their gardens and plants while the city remains in Stage 1 water restrictions.
City officials also announced it will be opening non-potable water stations for residents and businesses to pick up free river water during the conservation measures.
The city’s next update on the Bearspaw feeder main is expected on Thursday.