Calgary city council votes to cut back on water use, fix leaky pipes

The Bow River, a major part of the city's water supply, flows through the downtown as warm fall weather continues in Calgary on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh)

Alberta’s largest city has laid out new plans to reinforce its flawed water system by instituting new limits on lawn watering and putting funds toward sealing leaky pipes.

Calgary city council voted in a new water conservation strategy on Tuesday. A key measure is reduced lawn and landscape watering, with Calgarians being assigned three days a week in which they’ll be permitted to turn on their sprinklers.

The city says it will even out demand for water, something Calgary has been struggling with since the water main supplying water to roughly 60 per cent of residents has suffered two major breaks over the past two years and lead to significant water restrictions.

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City officials say lawn watering is one of the biggest drivers of water demand in the summer months, which can be up to 40 per cent higher than an average winter day.

As part of the new water strategy, the city also plans to update water meters and seal leaky pipes. The plan has an overall multi-year budget cost of just over $350 million.

Council will also consider imposing conservation-based water rates as part of the plan, meaning higher rates for higher water usage. If put in place, those rates would be expected to make a massive dent in the water use.

“When Calgarians turn on the tap, they expect water to be there today, tomorrow and as our city grows,” Rehana Rajabali, the city’s manager of natural environment and adaptation, said in a Wednesday news release.

The goal is to cut the city’s per capita rate of water use by 20 per cent by 2040, as well as find ways to ease usage on days when it is highest — often on the city’s hottest days.

Calgary’s growing population is also expected to strain its water system.

That’s despite a report from city staff that Calgary’s water demands have remained relatively stable, increasing by about four per cent in the two decades leading up to 2024.

The report says beyond the ruptures to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main that have caused citywide water restrictions, Calgary’s water system is also struggling with leaky pipes.

The water system lost about 38.9 billion litres in 2024 due to leaks, the city says, which is equal to about 22 per cent of its water supply and noticeably higher than the North American median of 12 per cent.

Several local and provincial environmental organizations shared their support for the new strategy by writing letters to council ahead of the vote.

“The first step to successful and sustainable change is to enable and empower Calgarians to participate in water conservation efforts,” wrote Rod Ruff, the president of the Alberta Ecotrust Foundation.

“As climate variability intensifies and Calgary continues to grow, rising water demand — paired with limited water supply in southern Alberta — requires clear goals, measurable targets, and proactive planning, such as those outlined in the plan.”

The strategy was adopted with a 10-5 vote, with Mayor Jeromy Farkas in favour.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2026.

Dayne Patterson, The Canadian Press