Outdoor watering schedules, conservation-oriented water rates, meter replacements, and acceleration of the water loss program are among 11 actions proposed in the City of Calgary’s water efficiency plan.

The document, coming to the Community Development Committee on April 1, is the roadmap to a 20 per cent reduction in per capita water demand by 2040.

There are six focus areas containing 11 actions, with the primary action being fixing Calgary’s leaking infrastructure. Multiple reports have shown that Calgary’s water infrastructure leak rate is roughly 20 -25 per cent.

“While Calgary achieved significant reductions in per-capita water demand under the 2005 Water Efficiency Plan, overall water demand is starting to rise and water efficiency gains have plateaued,” the city admin cover report reads.

The report also calls for the introduction of an outdoor watering schedule, which would see homes with odd or even house numbers only able to water on certain days of the week. Odd addresses could water on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday between the hours of 7 p.m. and 10 a.m., and even house numbers on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

It also contemplates a tiered water rate structure to help manage water demand.

“Conservation-oriented rates are among the most effective tools to influence customer water use behaviour and are common practice among many water utilities (e.g., Okotoks, Cochrane, Denver),” the plan reads.

“The City is evaluating rate options that encourage water efficient use, such as block rates or shortage surcharges.”

The plan does say that any change in water rates would have to go through a regular water rate review process and approved by council.

Ward 9 Coun. Harrison Clark said he’s not convinced water rates would be a place to start.

“I mean, if we’re dealing with a 21 per cent leakage rate in our system as it stands, let’s start there,” he said.

“I would say we’ve got a lot of work to do to better manage our water usage.”

Fix the leaks

Mayor Jeromy Farkas shared Clark’s assessment and said it has a lot to do with getting Calgary’s infrastructure up to snuff.

“There’s a lot that can be done from a systems perspective, as well as working more closely with local businesses and residents to ensure that going forward, we’re not again having to be put into the situation of water restrictions,” he said.

Farkas acknowledged that Calgary is a growing city on two smaller rivers and that one of the biggest issues the city faces is water scarcity. He said that Calgary is often beholden to Mother Nature and has lots of water one year and no water the next.

“If we want to continue to grow, not just for next year, for the next decades, we’re going to have to figure out some of those challenges around water that involve personal responsibility, which Calgarians have shown in spades,” he said.

On water rates, the mayor said that the plan should look at incentivizing citizens for reducing water use rather than penalizing them if they use more than a certain amount. On the flip side, there could be a graduated rate for larger industrial users, he said.

The water efficiency plan also looks at other areas, such as ongoing education, continuing with the City of Calgary’s water meter replacement program, expanding access to water efficiency programs, and potentially even adding an incentive to transform residential landscapes to be more water-friendly.

If approved by the committee, the item would be sent for final approval and proposed bylaw changes at an upcoming meeting of Calgary city council.