Utility officials in mid-sized cities in southern Alberta are strategizing system enhancements to prevent significant water line failures like the one that led Calgary to enforce water-use restrictions for the second time in two years. Medicine Hat and Lethbridge are both gearing up to duplicate crucial segments of their water delivery systems, with projects that were identified years ago and are set for construction in the upcoming seasons.
A recent report highlighted that the 2024 Bearspaw feeder main break in Calgary could have been averted with better planning and a willingness to invest in building redundancy into the water system. Unlike Calgary, neither Medicine Hat nor Lethbridge hesitated to take steps to prevent similar issues.
Medicine Hat initiated an examination of potential vulnerabilities in its system five years ago and formally proposed specific upgrades for inclusion in the city’s capital priorities list around the time of the initial Bearspaw break two years ago. The city’s infrastructure division managing director, Pat Bohan, emphasized the importance of the Kipling Corridor project as a critical component of their water infrastructure.
The city of Medicine Hat is allocating $6.3 million this year to duplicate the Kipling Street feeder main, a crucial pipeline serving a significant portion of the city’s south end. This project involves laying a new line parallel to an existing one from 1972, equipping the older pipe with inspection ports, and using both pipes simultaneously to ensure service continuity in case of any breakage.
In Lethbridge, plans are underway to duplicate a reservoir supply line, with final approval expected this fall and construction likely to commence in 2027. Given the recent water emergency in Calgary, Mayor Blaine Hyggen is seeking updates on the project to enhance water system reliability.
Calgary residents are once again facing water-use restrictions following the recent Bearspaw feeder main failure, prompting repairs and calls for reduced water consumption. Mayor Jeromy Farkas anticipates intermittent restrictions until the completion of a new parallel line installation along 16th Avenue, describing the project as the most ambitious endeavor in the city’s history.
In addition to the Kipling project, Medicine Hat’s utility division has identified four other priority projects involving aging pipes from the late 1950s to early 1980s, slated for replacement or duplication in the near future. These initiatives form part of efforts to address a $900-million backlog of projects aimed at upgrading aging public infrastructure installed during a period of rapid urban development.
Councillor Brian Varga emphasized the ongoing efforts to address underground infrastructure maintenance, acknowledging the necessity of tackling less visible but crucial components to ensure operational efficiency. The comprehensive infrastructure overhaul in Medicine Hat, which commenced in 2012, involves replacing century-old sewer and water pipes, a critical undertaking to modernize the city’s underground infrastructure.
A detailed report outlines a 30-year plan amounting to $900 million for comprehensive infrastructure upgrades, focusing on replacing or refurbishing critical infrastructure elements nearing the end of their service life. With an annual expenditure of approximately $30 million, the city is actively replacing aging water lines, storm sewers, and sanitary systems to maintain essential services and infrastructure integrity.
By proactively addressing infrastructure challenges and investing in system redundancies, these cities aim to safeguard their water delivery networks and mitigate the risk of disruptive failures in the future.