Firefighters stage at the side of a flooded highway, as the broken Bearspaw South Feeder Main, centre, spews water in Calgary on Dec. 30.Ian Royer/The Canadian Press
An investigator is being given sweeping powers by Alberta’s United Conservative Party government to investigate Calgary’s continuing water main problems, which have once again forced residents to limit their consumption to allow repairs to the city’s key artery.
On Friday, Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Dan Williams described the investigation as an “extraordinary” measure for a government to pursue.
Calgary residents were recently forced into severe water restrictions when the Bearspaw South Feeder Main burst on Dec. 30, spilling millions of gallons of water into the street. Firefighters rescued 13 people in eight vehicles.
Calgary imposes water restrictions yet again as pipe system is shut down for more repairs
Less than two years earlier in June, 2024, and about a kilometre south of that location, the same pipe ruptured, triggering a summer-long water-supply crisis in Alberta’s largest city.
Residents are back under restrictions for the next month so the city can undertake new reinforcement work on the pipe.
David Goldie, the former board chair of Alberta’s energy regulator, will head the province’s investigation. He will have the power to require witness testimony under oath and compel documents.
Since January, the United Conservative Party has repeatedly used Calgary’s water troubles as a partisan cudgel against Alberta NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi, the city’s former mayor.
More to come.