Colder weather may have meant a break for Regina water system crews so far this year. But that might be about to change, at least a little.
The City of Regina says there were 11 water main breaks reported in January 2026, compared to around 24 the same month last year.
Read more:
- Regina sees surge in water main breaks amid sudden warm spell
- Garbage truck trapped in sinkhole after water main break behind Regina strip mall
- Calgary water crisis unlikely to be repeated in Regina, city says
Jay Overend, manager of water operations, explained frost typically reaches the level of Regina’s underground water mains, causing the clay-based soil to expand and contract.
This causes the pipes to shift and break.
“So looking into this weekend and weather warming up, it is possible that we might see a slight increase in water main breaks,” he said in an interview.
Overend added there are typically two “seasons” for water main breaks in Regina.
“Typically around September is when we initially get one, just due to all the dry weather from the year,” he said.
“And then we usually see another one around, let’s say February, going into February right now, but it’s all dependent on the weather, for sure.
“But having the fluctuations in weather doesn’t typically help with decreasing the water main breaks.”
The forecast indicates temperatures at or above 0 C through the weekend. The normal high is -9 C.
Overend said there’s no way to control the weather, but he does credit the investment the city has made in its infrastructure since 2018 for a downward trend in water system breaks.
Read more:









