In a startling turn of events, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has raised serious concerns over Calgary's water system following the city’s second catastrophic break of the same feeder main in under two years. This alarming incident has led her to suggest that the province might need to take a more active role in overseeing the city's water management.
Smith attributes responsibility for this infrastructure failure to Naheed Nenshi, the former mayor who held office from 2010 to 2021. She criticizes him for not taking sufficient action to inspect the feeder main after the devastating floods of 2013. "You have to question who was at the helm after those floods until he retired, and that was Naheed Nenshi," Smith remarked, emphasizing that future leaders shouldn't have to grapple with these issues if they had been addressed earlier.
However, Nenshi has strongly rebutted Smith's accusations, labeling them as "total garbage" and highlighting that no feeder main breaks occurred during his tenure. He expressed frustration, stating, "This is very emblematic of this government. Instead of seeking solutions or acting responsibly during a crisis, they resort to blame and political maneuvering."
In light of recent events, Smith has indicated that her administration is contemplating enhanced oversight of Calgary’s water system—akin to what the province does with other utilities such as natural gas and electricity. "Currently, water systems are entirely the responsibility of municipalities," she noted during a press conference in Calgary. This increased oversight could potentially involve the province issuing repair directives as deemed necessary, with future provincial funding possibly contingent on this oversight.
Despite the premier's stance, Kerry Black, an associate civil engineering professor at the University of Calgary, argues that the city possesses the necessary expertise to manage its water system effectively. She advocates for the provincial and federal governments to focus on providing financial support for critical infrastructure upgrades rather than assuming direct control. "This type of issue could arise in any major city across Canada," Black pointed out. "The crucial question is not about assigning blame but about how we can effectively manage this situation moving forward."
Smith highlighted the concerning leak rates within Calgary’s water infrastructure as justification for potential provincial intervention. Recent data indicates that the city has been losing over 20% of its water through leaks for the past five years—a stark contrast to Edmonton, where the loss averages around 5%. Alberta Municipalities has set a goal of reducing urban water loss to 10% by 2027.
Calgary is currently in the process of updating its water efficiency plan to incorporate new programs and technologies aimed at minimizing water loss. Black stressed that leakage is a widespread challenge facing cities throughout North America and noted that Calgary has been proactive in monitoring and addressing leaks. "To suggest that this level of leakage signifies a failing system is quite damaging," she remarked.
Meanwhile, Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas has been advocating for the release of an independent report regarding the 2024 water main break, committing to implement the recommendations laid out in the report once it is available. Smith mentioned that her cabinet is also awaiting this report to help guide their decisions on the nature of oversight that may be put into place.
