Red Deer water tower (rdnewsNOW/Troy Gillard)

By Alessia Proietti

World Water Day: March 22

City of Red Deer says 2.9 billion litres of water saved since 2009 due to conservation programs

Mar 24, 2023 | 3:55 PM

The City of Red Deer has saved approximately 2.9 billion litres of water since the start of various conservation programs in 2008, according to Phil Boehme, Community Development Coordinator for Environmental Initiatives.

In recognition of World Water Day on Wednesday and Earth Hour this Saturday, the City is inviting residents to learn more about how they can get involved and benefit from their environmental initiatives and incentives.

Organized by the World Wildlife Fund, every last Saturday in March, people around the world turn off their lights from 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. to show their commitment to protecting the environment.

Boehme says the City has already past their 2035 target for annual water losses through detection and data management, which was to have a maximum of seven per cent of total water use attributed to losses.

He says the city has been on a downward trend in water consumption in residential, commercial, and industrial properties, however has had a slight increase over the past few years in residential consumption, possibly due to more citizens working from home during the pandemic. Water consumption was recorded at 196 litres per capita per day in 2021 while in 2009, it was at 242 litres daily per person.

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One initiative currently in place is the Toilet Rebate, offering a $25 rebate for residents who replace their high-flow toilet with a low-flow toilet, which uses six litres per flush or less. Officials say it can save over 25,000 litres of water per person every year.

They say toilets use more water than any other appliance or fixture in the home and account for roughly one third of the average household’s water use. In Red Deer, 67 per cent of treated water is used for residential purposes.

Other water initiatives include rebate programs for purchases of rain barrels, drought-tolerant plants and mulch, which reduce soil water loss.

For energy, Boehme shared that the City’s Energy Efficiency Rebate Pilot Program in Fall 2022 received such overwhelming interest that they had to close early due to oversubscription. The program offered a $50 rebate to those who replaced their home thermostats with a smart thermostat and a $100 rebate to those who replaced low efficiency dishwashers with a high efficiency model.

He says 200 citizens participated and the City plans on launching the program with modifications within the next few weeks.

Residents can also borrow an Energy & Water Conservation Toolkit for free at the Red Deer Public Library to see how much electricity their appliances are using and where energy may be wasted in their homes.

Year-round, residents can participate in the Light Bulb Exchange program at the Kerry Wood Nature Centre where they can trade two incandescent or compact florescent light bulbs for two free LED lightbulbs, which are deemed more energy and cost efficient.

Boehme says with the arrival of spring, residents can join in the Green Deer program, which has brought thousands of participants to pick up litter, and partake in numerous garden opportunities.

He says it is critical for municipalities to take a lead role in environmental progress.

“Working together with citizens, we can make a big difference to the environment and to the health of our community, not just now but into the future,” he said. “It’s really a community based approach where we’re working hand-in-hand with community organizations and individuals to make it work.”

An Environmental Initiatives Grant will open on March 31 to provide up to $10,000 for projects that contribute to achieving the vision and goals of the Environmental Master Plan.