Proposed updates to the City of Calgary's strategy to reduce overall water consumption in the coming years drew backlash from some councillors on Tuesday, with one arguing the plan to limit when households can water their lawns amounts to municipal government overreach.
Councillors criticized the city's proposed outdoor watering schedule, which would restrict watering times for residential properties. Ward 12 representative said, 'The city needs to do its part to improve our 22 per cent water loss before we start telling Calgarians when they can and cannot use their water.'
Water Efficiency Plan Details
The city presented its updated water efficiency plan to council, highlighting how to ensure Calgary has sufficient water supply as the city's population grows in the coming decades. The plan aims to reduce Calgary's water loss and bring down the city's per-capita water demand by 20 per cent by 2040, from 315 litres per person per day to 285 litres per day.
The 11-point plan includes introducing a permanent outdoor watering schedule, replacing the city's current water meters with new smart metering technology by 2031, fixing and replacing leaky water pipes, and requiring new developments and home renovation projects to include low water-use fixtures, including showerheads and faucets.
The plan's financial implications include $354 million over the next four-year capital budget cycle, including $160 million to replace water meters and $179 million to upgrade or replace Calgary's leaky pipes.
The city's report argues that Calgary's water security is increasingly at risk due to a limited water supply from the Bow and Elbow rivers, which is compounded by rapid population growth, aging water infrastructure, and a changing climate.
'Population growth, aging infrastructure and a changing climate are all increasing pressure on a finite water supply,' Rehana Rajabali, the city's manager of natural environment and adaptation, told council. 'This is not only about infrastructure or only about water supply — it's about both.'
Proposed Watering Schedule
The proposed schedule would allow odd-numbered addresses to water their lawns from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, while even-numbered houses could water during the same time on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Other Canadian cities impose similar residential watering schedules, particularly in British Columbia, including Kelowna, the greater Victoria area, and Metro Vancouver.
The proposed schedule is not about restricting residences' ability to use water, Rajabali said, but 'taking turns' during times of higher daily demand to keep available capacity in the water system. She noted Calgary's water demand can increase by up to 40 per cent during the hottest days of the year, compared to winter.
'This is why early actions like the lawn and landscape watering schedule are being proposed,' she said.
Councillor Opposition
However, some council members took umbrage with the policy, which would limit when households are allowed to hydrate their lawns during the summer months. One councillor argued that the city should focus on fixing its infrastructure before imposing restrictions on residents.
'I think it's an infrastructure problem,' said the councillor opposed to the plan, emphasizing that the city must address its 22 per cent water loss rate before implementing new regulations.
