CTV News Calgary has reported:

Calgary may fall short of its 2026 inspection targets for drinking water distribution mains and stormwater pipes, according to a city update scheduled for the infrastructure and planning committee on Wednesday, Oct. 14. A presentation prepared for the meeting marks both targets “at risk.” The committee meeting is set to begin at 9:30 a.m., and administration recommends that council receive the report for the corporate record.

The city has inspected 117 kilometres of drinking water distribution mains against a target of 400 kilometres this year, about 29 per cent of the goal. For stormwater pipes, one kilometre has been inspected against a 16-kilometre target, or 6.25 per cent.

Those percentages measure progress against the annual targets, not the share of Calgary’s entire pipe network that has been inspected. The “at risk” rating refers to the likelihood of meeting the targets; it does not mean the pipes have been found unsafe.

Most other inspection and assessment work in the presentation is on track. Across tables covering drinking water, wastewater and stormwater, the remaining 17 items are rated on target. The city says it has completed inspections of all 34 major transmission valves included in this year’s goal, as well as four targeted pump stations and two treated-water reservoirs. Major drinking water transmission main inspections are 61 per cent complete against an annual target of 14.7 kilometres and are also rated on target.

The update follows a request from the Bearspaw South feeder main implementation advisory group, previously known as the independent review panel, for a public account of the city’s progress. In a June 30 closeout letter, the group said the lack of current, actionable asset management plans was among the most direct causes of the feeder main failure. It asked the city to state which infrastructure had management plans, which inspections had been completed since the group’s final report, and when plans for remaining high-consequence infrastructure would be completed.

The accompanying report says work to reduce drinking water risks is partly limited by the need to maintain customer water supply while assessments and repairs take place. The time needed to deliver new infrastructure is another constraint. For stormwater, city administration says resource limits are affecting inspections and other work.

The documents do not fully explain why these two targets are at risk or how much of the work is expected to be completed by year-end. Administration says near-term funding is sufficient to continue planned work, while further assessments are expected to identify additional funding needs.