Independent review of Calgary’s water main break to take at least a year

From four months to twelve months, that’s how long it will take to run an independent review on Calgary’s catastrophic water main break.

Mayor Jyoti Gondek called for a third-party, independent review of the catastrophic break that put the city in a state of emergency and left Calgarians with water shortages for nearly a month.

And while most Calgarians likely want answers sooner than later, most councillors are in favour of pushing back the timeline.

 “I think it is realistic, when you look at the answers we have had,” says Ward 2 councillor Jennifer Wyness. “It’s a lot of work the panel will have to review and evaluate. I get it Calgarians are frustrated but ask yourself do you want it right or do you want it slapped together?”

This is the first time the City of Calgary has done an independent review and tensions between the city and the administration are high when it comes to selecting a panel.

“We heard from council today, they want to know how this chair will be selected and whether we should be using external recruitment to do that selection,” says the city’s Chief Administrative Officer David Duckworth.

“Our timelines were a little aggressive and they expressed to me this review is a minimum of 12 months.”

Some councillors are requesting more feedback from the public.

“What they are looking for is transparency, what they are looking for is an independent judicial review as oppose to an administrative or technical review, and they want answers and accountability,” said Ward 7 councillor Terry Wong.

Wyness agrees that the perception from the public is council is picking the panel, when it should be more of an “open call.”

Others are suggesting the city bring in an outside perspective.

“I think that chair needs to be unbiased and have experience and maybe not even be from Calgary,” says Ward 1 councillor Sonya Sharp. “Maybe get a chair outside Calgary.”

Discussions on selecting a panel are still ongoing and council has voted to meet with the administration for further debate on July 30.

There is no budget for how much the investigation will cost but it will be funded through city reserves.

The Bearspaw south feeder main that burst in early June is now operating at 50 per cent capacity as crews continue to slowly increase the flow and pressure of the pipe. Production is also safely increasing at the Bearspaw Treatment Plant to allow for critical maintenance to take place at the Glenmore Water Treatment Plant.

Calgarians are being asked to gradually ease back into normal indoor water usage after city officials said they were relaxing their indoor water conservation appeals on Tuesday.

CEMA Chief Sue Henry says the city is still not in a place to lift the Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions that remain in place for residents and businesses. She says when they are ready to start lifting outdoor restrictions, it will likely be done in stages.