As the winter snow melts into spring, the topic of water conservation is once again beginning to flow.
It comes as World Wildlife Day shines an additional spotlight on the issue that has consumed southern Alberta for over 12 months.
“People aren’t the only ones who rely on the river and rely on our water supplies,” said Kathleen Sheppard, executive director of Environment Lethbridge.
“Just using fish as an example — a lot of our native fish species rely on water that’s a certain temperature, like colder temperatures. The less water we have, the warmer the water gets.”
Lethbridge gets its water from the Oldman River, which originates in the Rocky Mountains and flows east across the Prairies to merge with the Bow River and become the South Saskatchewan River.
Multiple years of below-normal precipitation have resulted in drought conditions across southern Alberta and while this season’s snowfall is encouraging, the city said reservoir levels remain well below normal.
In 2024, Lethbridge residents did what the city described as ‘an amazing job’ when it came to reducing usage.
According to Mark Svenson, the environment manager at the City of Lethbridge, the ballpark figure of water saved was about 16 or 17 per cent.
“I’m hoping we can continue that this year. While our reservoirs are in a little bit better condition than they were last year, the snowpack is still below normal,” Svenson said.
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As it is, the city is aiming for a 20 per cent reduction by the year 2030.
To help ensure the goal becomes a reality, the City of Lethbridge hosted a pair of open houses at City Hall on Monday to discuss proposed changes to the industrial, commercial and institutional scaling water rates.
Svenson said the scaled system helps people understand when and how they are able to save water and money.
For Sheppard, it’s a system that means everyone can do their part to help sustain Lethbridge’s water.
“The number one thing that I would really encourage residents to look at is their outdoor water usage,” she said.
During the summer months, the city said the use of treated water in Lethbridge increases by over 200 per cent.
“Looking at the graphs the city has, there’s a really big spike in the summer when people are watering their lawns and garden.”
Ways to conserve water can include:
- Limiting all outdoor uses, including watering lawns and washing cars
- Reusing water where possible
- Minimizing shower times and bath levels
- Running full loads of laundry and dishes