Calgary moves forward with outdoor watering schedule

Calgary is moving forward with a year-round outdoor watering schedule after council voted to adopt it on Tuesday.

The decision is part of the city’s new water-efficiency plan, which introduces a structured timetable for when properties may water lawns, gardens, trees, and shrubs.

Under the schedule, odd‑numbered addresses may water from 7 p.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, while even‑numbered properties may do so during the same hours on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Exceptions will allow watering of edible crops and newly planted trees, shrubs, or grass at any time.

Not everyone on council supported embedding the schedule into the city’s water utility bylaw. Mayor Jeromy Farkas argued the measure is unnecessary outside drought conditions, saying the city should first ensure its own systems are as efficient as possible.

“We need to show them that we’ve done absolutely everything that we can to address our own internal systems,” he says.

Coun. Mike Jamieson echoed concerns about mandatory rules, suggesting residents would voluntarily conserve water if given the chance.

“People want voluntary basis and I feel that a lot of people will come alongside and help the cause if they’re given the chance to do the right thing,” he says.

The watering schedule is one of 11 action items aimed at reducing Calgary’s per‑capita water demand by 20 per cent by 2040. Other measures include accelerating the city’s water‑loss program, exploring conservation‑focused rate structures, and expanding public education on water use.

Coun. Andre Chabot said the plan is designed to reduce both costs and peak summer demand, which remains a pressure point for the city’s water system.

Experts note that Calgary’s climate makes conservation especially important. Kerry Black, Associate Professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Calgary’s Schulich School of Engineering, compared reservoirs to “big bathtubs” that don’t refill quickly during dry summer months, particularly in southern Alberta’s low‑precipitation environment.

“In a city like Calgary, in southern Alberta, it’s not getting a whole lot of precipitation,” she says. “So we are really relying on what we’ve been able to manage up until that point.”

Similar watering schedules already exist in nearby municipalities such as Okotoks and Airdrie.

Violating the new schedule could result in a $200 fine under the amended bylaw.