As Calgary enters another round of feeder main repairs and water restrictions, the mounting toll on local businesses should not be forgotten.

Obviously, this work is highly necessary, but that doesn’t make the effect any less real or consequential. This whole mess has caused some serious headaches for businesses that rely on water — irrigation businesses and car washes, for example — to say nothing of the businesses directly affected by the road closures needed to do the repairs.

The city seems to be learning on the go, and by delaying this latest round of repairs and trying to improve communication with affected businesses, it’s at least allowed more time to prepare and adjust for the next month or so. But there’s no undoing the damage and losses from the past few months. And the feeder main repair is not the only example of this. It all speaks to the need for a system to not only better communicate and co-ordinate with affected businesses, but also allow........

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