Calgary declares local state of emergency as water crisis continues

Calgary declared a local state of emergency Saturday morning amid the city’s water shortage and needed repairs on a feedermain pipe. Jayden Wasney reports what this means and how it will impact Calgarians.

[stevec]

Maybe we should be fixing all aging infrastructure instead of building luxury unnecessary arenas etc

[FancyRedCat]

“Maybe I’ll go on a holiday” is the funniest response I have ever heard for a water crisis. I’ll use that next time.

[thebipus]

when the initial break happened: "it could take 3 to 5 days to fix" 10 days later: "Yeah we're gonna need another 3 weeks" next thing we know we're well into October and it still wont be fixed 🙄

[theredboneking]

So who is getting fired? Who didn’t do their job?

The city says the main Bearspaw pipe was expected to last a century but is failing 50 years after it was installed.

The claim is puzzling. In the 1970s, when our water main was installed, was there a pipe built in the 1860s that proved such a thing could last a century?

Hardly likely. A hydrology expert at U of C, Professor Tricia Stadnyk, says the average lifespan for this kind of high-pressure pipe is 50 years — right about now.

[Arational]

Who planned the water distribution system where a single point of failure leads to such catastrophic results?

[ryantessier]

Maybe instead of investing in replacing the nation's citizens with cheap labour, they should focus on infrastructure and improving quality of life for those born here. Crazy idea, i know!

[nellyswrld]

Our city officials tell us to reduce our water usage yet spends 2 MILLION on a useless piece of art lol. How about using that money towards better infrastructure? 😊

[robichj]

That water main supplies 60% of the city's water, so maybe it should have been inspected every so often

[proudlycanadian]

It’s a water main, no doubt this could be resolved in less than a week. Never should a “repair” take this long, something is wrong here.

[gboates]

Mayor should resign - this is no way to preside over people's lives. Waaay out of her league - a city is not a PR exercise.

[ultimaetsolder]

City is so incompetent. At least they have pride sidewalks.

[PeterHodge-lc]

Should overhaul the local government as well as city infrastructure

[steventhebassman]

Wow the government is doing well. You guys are really lucky to have them take care of things so well.

[somewhereinagalaxyfarfaraway]

It's not surprising all your hard earned money stolen by taxes went to nothing but city officials pockets largely. Here in Medicine Hat the city is just now getting around to replacing water pipes that are well over 90 years old. It's not a wonder where tax money ever goes and it's almost never to the right stuff...we send trillions to Ukraine but look at our countries infrastructure. When's the last time any of drove Hwy 1 for any distance...it's in horrible shape. The entire country is free falling downwards. Enjoy the ride.

[jamesverner]

i thought calgary Alberta was one of the most wealthy and powerful provinces (according to them). how did they neglect water treatment?

[hithere]

Because now that the drought threat is over, we certainly can't enjoy a summer in Calgary.

[ugeneous]

So how many bank accounts will be frozen?

[vasili-zaitsev]

She’s the Mayor and told the people who pay her to “do better” 😂 UNREAL

[laurenehamilton]

Might want to close down the car wash.

[arnoldwilson]

"I mean yeah... I guess it sucks..." What a great quote, Mr. Reporter!