Cochrane’s water use dashboard shows how much water is being used in Cochrane, highlighting when community demand is good, average and needs to be reduced.
| Zone | Litres of water use per day per person | Use status |
|---|---|---|
| Blue | 100-229 litres of water use per day per person | Doing great! Typically water use is lower overnight, in winter months and during cold weather periods in the spring and summer. Water use between 100-229 litres per person per day is a fair representation for indoor use only. |
| Yellow | 230-300 litres of water use per day per person | Average Typically water use is between 230-300 litres per person per day during summer days. Use might include some outdoor use such as lawn watering, hydrant use and watermain flushing and water toy use. |
| Red | 300+ litres of water use per day per person | Reduce your use Above average use typically includes increased outdoor water use during summertime. If water production cannot meet demand, prolonged increased water use will deplete Cochrane water reservoir levels, potentially straining the community’s capacity for fire suppression and essential use. Cochrane’s residential water use rises by as much as 30% in the summer months. Consider ways you can use less and save money on your water bill by implementing water conservation tips. |
Water use is measured by the flow from pump stations that provide water to all customers, non-residential, irrigation and residential users, hydrant use and any loss or leaks from the system. The population for each station is based on the number of premises in supply area. Average water use per person is estimated by approximately 2.78 people per premise.
Heritage Hills:
- Heritage Hills
South side:
- Fireside, Southbow Landing, The Summit of Riversong, River Heights, The Willows, Rivercrest, Riversong and Precedence
Sunset Ridge:
- Sunset Ridge
Town of Cochrane:
- All neighbourhoods including Heritage Hills, South side and Sunset Ridge
Individual water use can be determined by reviewing your monthly utility bill.
You can use the total monthly use (charged in cubic metres, 1 cubic metre = 1000 litres). Divide the total monthly use by the number of days in the month and the number of people in your household.
Comparing this information to the water use dashboard can help determine how you compare to your neighbours and community members.
The water dashboard tells a story about water use. Large increases could be due to hot and dry weather, meaning outdoor water use may increase for yard work or outdoor water activities. Cooler weather and increased precipitation typically means residents are using less water.
Cochrane’s goal is to continue to strengthen our water resiliency, in part by encouraging residents and businesses to be mindful of their own water use and to consider the collective use of the community. Each community member finding small ways to conserve water can reduce the overall demand on our water systems.
Of the total annual volume produced at the water treatment plant, residential use is typically between 66 and 70 per cent, non-residential use is between 13 and 14 per cent and irrigation seasonal services use between 5 and 8 per cent . Bulk water (truck hauling) and watermain flushing account for about 3%.
Both golf courses in Cochrane have their own water licences, for course irrigation use, that permit annual withdraw from the Bow River. The Rangers soccer field has its own water licence as well. These systems are completely separate from Cochrane's water distribution system and are not obligated to follow Cochrane's water restrictions.