Councillors heard an administration plan to cut Calgary’s internal water loss by eight per cent over the next four years, with some checks and balances added along the way.

Members of city council’s Infrastructure and Planning Committee approved a recommendation that the full city council accept the water loss update report as information.

In it, the plan outlined the City of Calgary’s problem with leaky pipes in its water system, which was pegged at 23 per cent in 2025. The percentage of loss due to leakage has ranged from 20 and 24 per cent between 2019 and 2025, according to the report.

Water loss was identified is one of the longer-term ways to improve water conservation through the City of Calgary’s recently approved water efficiency plan.

Though the number appears high, City of Calgary officials defended the number, saying that based on the size and complexity of the city’s 5,500 kilometres of pipe in the water distribution system, Infrastructure Leakage Index score remained high. That number compares with actual amount of water lost to the lowest feasible amount of loss for a comparable system.

Monica Bramley, manager of utilities product development, the group responsible for strategic long-term initiatives in the water services, said that this was key context to have.

“This comparison is important because it reinforces that, while some level of water loss is expected in a system of this size and complexity, our current performance is above where we would like it to be in relation to our peers,” she said.

The plan calls for an accelerated water loss reduction program that will look at improved measurement, leak detection and repair, and ongoing renewal and maintenance to reduce future risk.

The advanced measurement will have modernized metering and increased system monitoring for priority leak repairs. The City plans to replace 10 kilometres of water main this year, and then 15 kilometres in each of the next four years.

The total cost pitched for the proposed 2027 to 2030 budget is $342 million.

Yearly progress check-ins proposed

Ward 6 Coun. John Pantazopoulos said that a 15 per cent leak target is reasonable, but that on a hot summer day, it still means nearly 100 million litres of lost water per day.

“Is there a path, a plan to get to two or one, or what is the reasonable? How should council and Calgarians think about a long-term vision and a goal? We may never get there, but at least directionally, we’re trying to get there,” said Pantazopoulos.

City officials said that it would have to be costed out to consider a lower percentage loss and that the reduction would be relative to the investment.

Pantazopoulos said he was cautiously optimistic that a long-term plan could be found. He did want a way for council to monitor progress and put forward an amendment to reflect that.

“With any plan, having clear goals, objectives, and deliverables are essential to ensuring success,” he said.  

“Absent this, council has limited ability to check in and confirm whether the $340 million that’s proposed is achieving our objectives. The proposed amendments provide council and Calgarians a clear road map to exactly how we are going to succeed with yearly check-ins, clear deliverables, and defined targets.”

Councillors approved the amendment.

The recommendation will now move to a full meeting of council for debate.

The $342 million proposed spending on water infrastructure is still subject to debate at the November four-year budget deliberations.