UCalgary's Sustainability Measures
The University of Calgary is actively participating in the City of Calgary's Stage water restrictions, putting measures in place to reduce our daily water use by 25%. Specific actions UCalgary is taking:
Critical Water Supply Restrictions at UCalgary
In effect August 26 and estimated to end by September 30
Urgent Water Conservation Update for the UCalgary Community
Dear UCalgary Community,
At UCalgary, our current water levels are substantially above where we need to be. We must take immediate and decisive action to conserve water and meet our 25% reduction target.
Every drop counts.
As the City of Calgary undertakes crucial repairs on the Bearspaw South feeder main, we are in a critical period requiring significant water conservation efforts. The feeder main repairs have reduced the volume of treated water available, placing Calgary under Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions and calling for a 25% reduction in indoor water use.
Currently, Calgary's water demand exceeds the available supply, and if we consistently surpass the city’s target of 485 million litres, we risk depleting our domestic water reserves.
Indoor Water Use Reduction – Simple actions make a big difference
- Take shorter showers (3 minutes or less).
- Only run full loads in dishwashers and washing machines.
- Flush toilets only when necessary.
Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions
Outdoor use of potable City water is prohibited. Learn more at calgary.ca/savewater.
Resources and Support
- For regular updates, visit calgary.ca/savewater.
- Watch daily livestream updates at calgary.ca/live.
- Access daily potable water demand data via the Potable Water Demand Dashboard.
Daily Campus Water Usage
The graph above illustrates UCalgary's daily water volume usage in litres over a period of several weeks.
The yellow line represents our baseline or typical water demand, showing the expected water usage throughout the week.
The green line indicates our target to reduce water usage by 25%.
The red line tracks our actual water consumption, allowing us to monitor our progress toward achieving the 25% reduction.
Since an initial water main break and subsequent repairs of five main hot spots in early June, The City of Calgary has identified several other segments of pipe that require urgent repair. These repairs will begin on August 26 and are expected to continue until the end of September.
City of Calgary Stage 4 Water Restrictions
To ensure sufficient water supplies for urgent needs, the city is once again implementing Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions along with asking residents to take several other actions to reduce water usage, including:
- Prohibiting the outdoor use of potable water
- Limiting showers to three minutes
- Skipping flushes when you can
- Only washing full loads of dishes and laundry
- Turning off water while brushing your teeth
- Heating water in a kettle vs. running water via tap where possible
Learn more about the water main break and current water restrictions from The City of Calgary's website.
Alternative Water Sources
Drawing untreated water directly from the river to water lawns and plants or to help cool some buildings.
Pool Maintenance
The campus pool remains open, but water replenishment will be strictly limited to essential needs.
Caretaking Adjustments
Our caretaking teams have adjusted their cleaning schedules to minimize water usage.
Showers in Kinesiology
Showers remain operational and users are encouraged to take shorter (less than 3 minutes) showers.
Research Efforts
Research teams have investigated ways to reduce water usage in their experiments.
Student Residences
Those living in residence are being asked to continue limiting water use when showering, laundry and doing dishes.
What You Can Do
We encourage all members of our campus community to help us achieve our conservation goals and support the broader community.
Here are some practical steps you can take:
Mindful Usage: Limit water usage on campus and be extra mindful of water usage in shared spaces like bathrooms and kitchens.
Report Issues: Any facility-related water issues should be reported in Archibus or by calling customer care at 403.220.7555.
Every drop counts. Let’s do this together!
Let's come together as a UCalgary community to reduce our water usage and support our fellow Calgarians during this time of water use restriction. Here’s how you can help: