Water is essential, but our infrastructure to deliver it is often invisible until it fails. In this episode of Good for Cities, Matti Siemiatycki speaks with Kerry Black, Canada Research Chair at the University of Calgary, about the challenges, trade-offs, and innovations shaping water systems in Canada.

They discuss the 2026 Calgary water main rupture, why governments prioritize new projects over maintenance, and how decisions about growth, pipe sizing, and asset management lock in risk for decades. Kerry shares insights on cutting-edge monitoring technologies, including robots that inspect pipes from the inside, and explains the persistent water infrastructure challenges facing Indigenous communities.

Tune in to explore the hidden systems we all depend on, and ask the question: are we investing in the infrastructure we really need?