We’re now less than two weeks (hopefully) from a resolution to Calgary’s prolonged water crisis, and (hopefully) sufficiently attuned to the challenges facing our system that we will be a step ahead of any future crises.

It’s hard to account for any surprises that might await as we navigate this mess in the short term, and a sense of complacency may settle back in once things have returned to normal.

However, the status quo cannot be an option moving forward. Yes, the city has pledged an independent review of the feeder main break to better understand what went wrong and to make sure it doesn’t happen again. And, yes, this will also likely lead to reviews and inspections of other water infrastructure and possibly further upgrades and repairs. But the response needs to be broader.

This would be an ideal opportunity for Calgary to take a close look at the next level of smart meter technology for measuring water use — what’s known as advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) —........

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