In response to a request from the Province, the Town of Okotoks is looking at ways to conserve water for the coming year.
Rebecca Schulz, Alberta’s minister of environment and protected areas, has asked municipalities to start planning in case of worsening water shortages, and Town staff are looking for input from council about potential changes to water service levels and policies.
Several recommendations from Town staff for ways to conserve and reduce the use of water will be discussed in a water management update scheduled for the Town’s governance and priorities committee meeting on Monday night (Jan. 15).
The Town said its water supply, the Sheep River, is facing challenges. Data from the Province, that is included in the report, suggests that mountain snow is about half of what it was last year.
One of the proposals from Town staff to address possibly worsening water shortages is adding another stage to the four-stage outdoor watering schedule.
The additional stage would put a mandatory stop to certain non-essential water uses when deemed appropriate, and would include voluntary reductions to home water use, according to the report that is available on the Town's website.
Currently, Stage 4 is the highest stage, and it triggers a ban on outdoor watering, but stops short of restricting indoor or discretionary water use.
Other changes to the outdoor watering schedule are on the table. Town staff are asking council to consider reducing watering from two days per week to one, or continuing to allow it for two days, but for a shorter amount of time each day.
Reducing watering to one day a week would save an estimated 75,000 m3 of water per year but could mean fewer green lawns in Okotoks during the heat of summer, the Town said.
The Town may also consider changes to how utility rates are applied to irrigation and high-water users, with any potential changes proposed to be adopted in 2025.
The recommendations included in the report are for consideration only, but the Town recommends that any necessary policy changes be in place before March 31.
