‘Start at the top’: Calgary councillors want major changes amid water fiasco

Some members of city council are still reviewing what went wrong with Calgary’s last water-main break and say they want accountability.

As work continues to repair Calgary’s latest water-main rupture, some councillors want to see accountability “at the top” when it comes to decades-long failures in the city’s overall water infrastructure.

It comes a week after an independent panel review of what led to the 2024 pipe break found the Bearspaw feeder main—which accounts for 60 per cent of the city’s drinking water—is “in a state of disrepair.”

While the report did not blame any specific individual, it found that the current failures of Calgary’s water system were a result of two decades of neglect.

Some councillors say major administrative changes should happen.

“I think we’ve heard a lot in these reports about culture, about a culture change. And if you want culture to change, then maybe it has to start at the top,” said Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean.

“I’m happy that we’re moving forward to get things fixed, but I also do want to see some accountability. People want some accountability.”

On Tuesday, a city committee discussed a pre-planned performance review update for Calgary’s chief administrative officer.

“I think it was very clear in the panel report that somebody does need to take responsibility for this. It’s been clear from Calgarians that somebody needs to take responsibility for this as well,” said Ward 1 Coun. Kim Tyers.

But the mayor stopped short of singling out any member of administration to take the blame for recent water failures.

“Absolutely, the expectation from Calgarians is that city council is going to hold our city administration to account but also to support them in providing the resources, the culture, to get that work done,” Jeromy Farkas said.

“This is not a combative environment, but we have to be able to ask really hard questions.”

Also on Tuesday, councillors had opportunities to ask more questions about the independent panel’s report on the water-main break.

The city says it is already moving ahead with some of the recommendations of the report, including establishing better redundancy in the city’s overall water system and implementing better monitoring of the pipes.

Administration is set to return in February with an implementation plan for all of the panel’s recommendations.

Officials are also recommending formally establishing a water utility oversight board, starting the process to explore a municipally controlled water corporation and budgeting for all recommendations.