Where does the water come from, and where does it go?
Those are some of the many questions being asked in the wake of Calgary’s water emergency, including what the crisis will cost taxpayers.
At a council meeting Tuesday, Calgary’s mayor and councillors poured over the facts on what led to the break of a feeder main in northwest Calgary two weeks ago, and how it could have been prevented.
There were also questions about what the repairs will cost, something officials say they’re tracking.
Coun. Andre Chabot says Calgarians will be hit in their pocketbooks.
“I mean it’s great to know that we’re tracking it, but at the end of the day, we will probably need some assistance on this,” he said. “At some point in time we’re going to have to pay for this and residents will be impacted by this through utility rates.”
Chabot believes because the water crisis is an emergency, like the massive hail story Calgary had four years ago, the province and federal government should come to the table to discuss the cost implications.
A third party investigation into what caused the rupture is underway.
Coun. Terry Wong expects people to be skeptical.
“I want to rush a review but I think it’s important to get periodic updates so that we can make adjustments on the fly,” he said.
Aside from the surface costs like work staff and materials, Coun. Sonya Sharp says there are deeper costs to consider.
“Right now, we get questions about [Calgarians’] water bills, well right now, if you’re not using all the water you did two months ago, your water bill will go down,” she explained. “But, we did also hear an answer, if we don’t get any funding from the provincial or federal government, this gets attached to user fees which goes to the customer as well.”
Meanwhile, two large sections of pipe are on the way from San Diego, a day ahead of schedule.
Infrastructure general manager Michael Thompson said Tuesday pipe removal on the five hotspots is also underway.
“The hotspots we mentioned are not leaks, they are sections of pipe that warrant immediate repair,” he said.
This incident has Sharp calling for changes.
“There needs to be more audits of city infrastructure in general,” she said.
An update on construction progress is expected later this week.
The city also said Tuesday it’s education-first period for residents on outdoor water restrictions has ended, explaining fines will now be handed out for breaking Stage 4 mandatory outdoor water restrictions.