Calgary faced a significant challenge last year as it lost approximately 25% of its treated water supply due to leaky pipes. In response, the city has initiated a program to swiftly address this issue.
A major incident involving the Bearspaw feeder main break in June accounted for just 0.5% of the overall water loss in 2024. This ongoing problem has plagued the city for years, with data showing water loss rates consistently above 20% for at least five years, peaking at 24% in 2019.
During discussions last year, city officials estimated that a staggering 115 million liters of treated water leak from the distribution system daily, equivalent to filling 46 Olympic-sized swimming pools. Monica Bramley, the city’s utilities project development manager, highlighted that leakages can occur due to various factors such as corrosion, faulty valves, fittings, and even issues on property owners’ premises.
The Alberta Municipalities organization has set a target for cities and towns to reduce water loss to 10% by 2027. To combat this challenge, a third-party review recommended that Calgary adopt best practices used by other North American municipalities. These practices include extensive leak detection, increased valve cycling, proactive copper service replacements, and advanced metering infrastructure.
The new accelerated water loss program implemented by the city incorporates these recommendations. It involves deploying additional flow meters, expanding advanced metering infrastructure, intensifying water pipe leak surveys, and accelerating pipe replacement efforts. Calgary has already replaced 7,800 meters of water mains this year, with plans to increase replacements to 10,000 meters next year and further escalate to 15,000 meters annually in the subsequent three years.
Despite the scale of the issue, with over 5,400 kilometers of pipes in the system, managing water loss remains a daunting task. Kerry Black, a civil engineering professor at the University of Calgary, emphasized the costly nature of water loss, likening it to wasting valuable resources down the drain. She noted that recent advancements in technology have shed light on the extent of the problem and called for stronger actions to address it.
Black highlighted the significance of the Bearspaw feeder main incident in raising awareness about water supply vulnerabilities and the need for proactive measures. She also pointed out the financial constraints faced by municipalities in tackling leaky pipes compared to the oil and gas sector. As water scarcity concerns grow, Black anticipates more cities will seek innovative solutions to curb water loss, potentially drawing inspiration from Calgary’s initiatives.