The review will look at the crisis specifically from the engineering and geoscience lens
The City of Calgary continues to review data from its pipe diver, under the backdrop of a practice review.
A physical electronic device deployed earlier in July, the pipe diver travelled the entire length of the feeder main, looking at areas that couldn’t be reached during initial inspections due to being full of water.
Data from the pipe diver was received on Friday, and the city continues to analyze it this week, said Michael Thompson, the city’s general manager of infrastructure services.
“This information will help us better understand the situation within the whole feeder main,” Thompson said.
One additional wire snap was detected on Sunday, on top of four others discovered between Thursday and Friday last week.
“These wire snaps allow us to know how the feeder main is responding to the increased pressure,” said Thompson. City officials have also indicated previously that the snaps are not a sign that a new break in the pipe is imminent.
Engineering regulator to conduct review
A regulator of engineering and geoscience in Alberta, the organization’s role includes reviewing the practices of its permit holders at regular intervals and when incidents — such as the June 5 water main break — occur, said John Corriveau, P.Eng., deputy registrar and chief regulatory officer in a press release.
It “ensures all required standards are met to protect the public interest,” he said.
Andrew MacKendrick, external relations manager with APEGA, described the practice review as a being the “discovery phase,” where information is still being gathered to inform potential next steps.
“What the practice review does not do in the immediate term, is it’s not an investigation,” said MacKendrick.
The review will look at the crisis specifically from the engineering and geoscience lens.
“Exploring that information and getting more from the City of Calgary, if there is any sort of evidence of, let’s say, unskilled practice or unprofessional conduct,” he said. “There is another mechanism and a separate process, the investigations process that can be referred to if need be.”
MacKendrick said it is too early to know if APEGA will need to go beyond a practice review and move to an “investigation” stage.