City of Calgary ignored two decades of warning signs about water system, report finds

With Calgary facing its second catastrophic water main break in as many years, an independent panel has delivered a report faulting the city for ignoring two decades of warning signs that its water system was vulnerable.

The panel of industry experts was formed to investigate a June, 2024, break along the city’s Bearspaw South Feeder Main, which carries roughly 60 per cent of Calgary’s potable water. The failure prompted a local state of emergency that forced residents to follow various levels of water restrictions for months.