The True Post (Web News) | MUHAMMAD AMANULLAH | October 29, 2026
The City of Calgary has released the full cost of an independent investigation into the June 2024 rupture of the Bearspaw South Feeder Main, revealing that the review cost approximately $2.3 million. Investigation panel chair Siegfried Kiefer received $1,752,414 for his work, according to documents released by the city.
The documents show that Kiefer was paid on an hourly basis over a nine-month period, during which he worked a total of 1,735 hours.
City council approved the release of compensation details for the investigation panel members following a motion introduced by Coun. Jennifer Wyness, who argued that transparency was necessary regarding the payments made to members of the independent panel.
According to the released documents, each of the panel’s five other members received a fixed payment of $79,600. Combined with Kiefer’s compensation, the total amount paid to the six panel members reached $2,150,414.
Additional expenses included engineering consultants, administrative support, technology and other services, bringing the overall cost of the investigation to approximately $2.3 million.
Investigation Costs Exceeded Initial Estimates
An independent investigation was launched following the serious rupture of Calgary’s Bearspaw South Feeder Main in June 2024. The review was intended to examine the city’s water system, administrative structure, government oversight and decision-making processes.
In the final months of 2024, city council was initially advised that the investigation would cost between $1 million and $2 million. However, the overall expenditure eventually exceeded that estimate as the scope of the investigation expanded.
Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas acknowledged that the final cost was higher than he had expected.
He said the amount was not what he would have preferred, but the decision had been made by elected officials before he became mayor during an emergency situation. He added that he had to deal with the decision as it stood.
The mayor also made it clear that he would not allow payments of this scale to become standard practice in the future.
Councillor Questions Compensation Arrangements
Coun. Jennifer Wyness said the released figures highlighted the need for more effective oversight of compensation arrangements for independent investigation panels.
She argued that Calgary residents were facing significant increases in service costs and rates, making it inappropriate to pay individuals by the hour even for waiting during council meetings while an issue was being discussed.
The details emerged shortly after city council approved an increase in water rates. The increase is intended to provide funding for improvements and upgrades to Calgary’s ageing water infrastructure.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas has maintained that higher rates are necessary to keep essential water and wastewater services safe and reliable.
However, some councillors and critics, including the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, have warned that the additional costs could place further financial pressure on residents and businesses.
Coun. Raj Dhaliwal said Calgary residents would ultimately have to decide whether the money spent on the investigation was justified.
He suggested that if residents value having uninterrupted water supplies from their taps every day and expect the city to prevent another major pipeline failure in the future, they must also consider whether the investigation’s cost was worthwhile.
Additional $126,000 Paid to Advisory Group
The released documents also detail payments made to an advisory group established to help implement the investigation panel’s recommendations.
In February 2026, city council approved an additional $3 million in the operating budget to begin implementing the recommendations contained in the panel’s final report.
An advisory group comprising five former investigation panel members and one additional member was established for this purpose. The group worked from March through June 2026.
Over the four-month period, its members received a combined $126,000.
Kiefer, who chaired the advisory group, received $9,000 per month, totalling $36,000. Each of the other five members received $18,000.
CityNews contacted Kiefer for comment.
Report Did Not Blame One Individual or a Single Council Decision
The investigation panel’s final report concluded that the failure of the water main was not the result of any one individual’s actions or a single decision by city council.
Instead, the report identified weaknesses in administrative oversight, management practices and planning for potential risks.
According to the findings, warnings about corrosion risks affecting the pipeline had emerged over several years but were not adequately addressed. The report also pointed to delays in important projects intended to provide redundancy and additional capacity within the city’s water infrastructure.
The panel recommended a range of reforms to help prevent similar incidents in the future, including the establishment of a dedicated entity to oversee the water supply system.
The central message of the report was that protecting Calgary’s water infrastructure requires more than assigning blame to one individual. Comprehensive reforms to oversight, early risk detection and infrastructure improvement are essential to preventing future failures.
The investigation’s findings and substantial cost have renewed questions about public accountability and spending priorities as Calgary works to improve the reliability of its water system while balancing the financial burden on residents and businesses.
