Pipe-diver device ready for relaunch into Calgary’s Beaspaw water feeder main

The City of Calgary was ready to relaunch its pipe-diver device on Tuesday to inspect a section of the Bearspaw water feeder main.

Earlier in April, attempts to proactively inspect a steel portion of the line failed when the device stopped working.

“Attempts to get it ‘swimming’ again were unsuccessful,” the city said in a release.

On Tuesday, the city was looking to relaunch from a new position.

The pipe diver gathers data about the condition of the line.

The results will take about a month to analyze and will help inform plans as work on the line continues.

“Current operation of the feeder main is not affected, and there are no impacts to our ability to supply water to Calgary and the region,” the city said.

“We do not anticipate any water restrictions will be needed as we complete our inspection.”

The line

The aged, ailing Bearspaw line ruptured a second time near the Sarcee Trail/16 Avenue N.W. interchange on the evening of Dec. 30, 2025.

The second rupture was a few blocks from the previous one in summer 2024.

After the first rupture, a local state of emergency was declared, and water use restrictions were put in place.

The city carried out 29 repairs along the line, with the work completed by November 2024.

After the second rupture, the emergency operations centre reopened its doors, and water use restrictions were put in place again.

This time, repairs took weeks, not months.

Work to maintain and ultimately replace the line is ongoing.