As summer brings greater pressures on water use, Alberta communities are doing more to increase water conservation, through individual measures and comprehensive planning. Dry weather through May and June prompted various municipalities to take measures to reduce domestic water consumption. The town of High River, for instance, allows residents to water their lawns only two days a week depending on where they live in the community. The bylaw also requires residents to water only in the morning or evening when permitted.

In Red Deer, the local government announced it would consider regulations to promote plant life that is native to central Alberta while also encouraging water conservation. The measure, if adopted, would require large commercial, residential, industrial or institutional development to adopt nature-scaping requirements. The proposed regulations will be considered by Red Deer city council for approval on July 27.

These communities and others in southern Alberta are considered "water short." While these individual steps are important to reduce water use, the next step is implementing water conservation plans. As of 2008, water conservation plans existed for eight Alberta communities and water-use bylaws existed in Calgary, Cochrane, Edmonton, Olds, Okotoks and Red Deer. Learn more about these plans below.

List of Municipal Water CEP Plans

(updated April 9, 2009)

Calgary — Water Efficiency Plan, 30 in 30 by 2033

Canmore — Water Demand Management Plan

Cochrane — Water Conservation Strategy

Edmonton — Water Strategy (section 10 of the Environmental Strategic Plan)

Grande Prairie — Water Conservation: 2008 Water Conservation Measures for Implementation

Olds — Water Conservation Strategy: Policy Statement

Okotoks — Water Management Plan

Red Deer — Water Conservation Strategy

A comprehensive plan for urban municipal water conservation

How much water do Albertans use?

In 2004 Environment Canada surveyed 147 Alberta municipalities and found that average total demand (including industrial and commercial use of water) to be 488 litres per day per person.

If only measuring residential water use, this number dropped to 271 litres per day per person.

Environment Canada reports that 58 percent of municipal water use is for residential purposes, while 35 percent is used by commercial and industrial operations, with 8 percent attributed to system losses.The number of communities with water conservation plans is set to increase with a new proposed plan recently released by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. This spring, the AUMA announced a draft long-range plan that will promote the adoption of more water conservation measures. The plan was released to support the Alberta government's Water for Life Strategy that has set a 30 percent target to increase the efficiency and productive use of water by 2014. The appetite for adopting these plans is significant. Last year, towns in Alberta rated water conservation advocacy in their top four priorities; villages and summer villages in Alberta rated water conservation as their top priority. According to the AUMA, individual plans will vary according to the municipality and the size and complexity of the system. Key ingredients for plans, however, include a profile of water use patterns, goals for future water use, and an evaluation of opportunities for conservation and efficiency.

The draft plan has identified some essential priorities that are considered high priority opportunities for water conservation for municipalities. These include:

• Leak detection that can account for a significant amount of water loss through pipes and other water infrastructure
• Adoption of water efficient fixtures such as low flow toilets
• Water use reporting

All three of these areas have been identified as high value opportunities to reduce water use in municipalities. Plans are also expected to include action plans for adopting water conservation measures and monitoring and evaluation activities.

The draft plan sets the following targets recognizing that 85 percent of Alberta's population lives in urban municipalities. For this reason, the AUMA draft plan focused on urban areas. Key plan targets are outlined below. One notable feature, is the emphasis placed on municipalities with greater populations and the capacity to create and implement water conservation plans.

1. By 2010, all urban municipalities with water systems in place will report water use data through Alberta Environment's electronic Water Use Reporting System (WURS). At present reporting water use is voluntary.
2. By Dec 31, 2011, urban municipalities will develop Conservation, Efficiency and Productivity Plans according to the following participation rates:
   
   • 100% of municipalities with populations greater than 10,000
   • 75% of municipalities with populations between 2500 and 10,000
   • 50% of municipalities with populations under 2500
3. By Dec 31, 2011, urban municipalities will estimate their Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) and identify ways to reduce leaks according to the following distribution:
   
   • 100% of municipalities with populations greater than 10,000
   • 75% of municipalities with populations between 2500 and 10,000
   • 50% of municipalities with populations under 2500
4. By Dec 2011, urban municipalities will implement incentives and/or disincentives of their own choosing to increase the uptake of water efficient fixtures and technologies. Different programs may apply to new and existing developments. Participation rates will be:
   
   • 100% of municipalities with populations greater than 10,000
   • 75% of municipalities with populations between 2500 and 10,000
   • 50% of municipalities with populations under 1000

Why conserve?

1. To save money: In New York City, for example, 80 percent of the cost of processing and distributing drinking water is associated with electricity.
2. To ensure there is enough water for all residents.
3. To address drought conditions: water conservation planned has been central strategy in Australia where the country is combating serious drought conditions. In Los Angeles in February 2009, the city aimed to cut water use by 25 percent due to drought by imposing a rationing system.
4. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions: For every million litres of water treated by the City of Calgary, approximately 375kg of GHGs are released. Water and sewage can account for 21 percent of GHG emissions in municipalities.

Sources

Alberta Urban Municipalities Association. 2009. Draft AUMA Water Conservation, Efficiency and Productivity Plan. (accessed July 13, 2009).

Alberta Water Council. 2008. Recommendations for Water Conservation, Efficiency, and Productivity Sector Planning. (accessed July 13, 2009).

Burnham, Alyssa. 2009. Town raises water conservation level. High River Times. (accessed July 13, 2009).

City of Red Deer. 2009. News Release. City Council to Consider Improved water conservation regulation. (accessed July 13, 2009).

Environment Canada. 2004. Municipal Water Use: 2004 Statistics. (accessed July 13, 2009).