Calgary has lifted all water restrictions effective April 2, after crews completed repairs to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, which had been offline since March 9. Work included reinforcing nine high-risk segments, replacing valves, and carefully refilling and testing the pipe before returning it to service.

Over the three and a half weeks the pipe was down, Calgarians and regional neighbours in Airdrie, Chestermere, Strathmore and Tsuut'ina Nation reduced their daily water use enough to keep underground storage tanks full and allow the Glenmore water treatment plant to run at increased capacity — a buffer that helped the city respond to additional emergencies during that period.

Normal indoor and outdoor water use can resume, and city recreation facilities — including hot tubs and kiddie pools — are returning to normal operations. Traffic detours along 16 Avenue N.W. and Sarcee Trail N.W. are expected to be removed by the weekend.

One caveat: the pipe remains in poor condition and another break is possible before a new pipe comes online in December. The city is not planning to reintroduce restrictions until fall, but asks Calgarians to keep up water-wise habits in the meantime — and points to its $50 rain barrel rebate program as one way to cut outdoor water use heading into summer.