People impact the Water Nexus in many ways. We are directly connected to the Nexus through the taps in our home, the energy we use, and the food we eat. People use water when they take showers, wash dishes and clothes, irrigate lawns, and any other activity that involves a household water supply.
Municipalities supply water to most households in Alberta, and have an important role in the Nexus, being the third largest allocation of water in Alberta, behind cooling and irrigation. Municipalities constitute approximately 11% of total water allocation1.
Because most of Alberta’s population lives in the southern half of the province and water supplies are more abundant in the north, there is a mismatch between water supply and demand. This mismatch will become even more significant in the future as urban populations increase. However, many options are available for households to reduce their water consumption, and many municipalities are implementing water conservation plans to protect the environment and maintain the reliability of water supplies.
Although municipalities have a large proportion of the allocated water in Alberta, it is important to note that not all water withdrawn for municipal use is consumed by people. Water that goes down the drain has been withdrawn by people but is usually then treated and returned to the system for other users downstream, including the environment.
Water is used for various household and gardening activities. In Calgary, the average person uses about 7000 litres of water per month2. Although much of this water is returned to the environment, reducing this amount by even a few litres a day can add up to millions of litres saved by the entire population.
For most Albertans, the water that comes out of the tap at home is provided by a municipal water distribution system, which takes water from local surface water sources under a municipal license. Water taken under a municipal licence is typically first treated to drinking water quality standards and then distributed to households, businesses, and light commercial industries. Read more about drinking water treatment here. Some rural area residents, on-reserve Indigenous communities, and homes not connected to public or municipal treatment systems have a private water supply system that is not part of a municipal water license but may take water from the same source.
Water that goes down the drain at home is typically treated at a municipal wastewater facility, where contaminants and organic matter are removed. Once treated, the treated water, or effluent, is returned to the river system as “return flow”, and can be reused by other water users, or the environment, downstream of the treatment plant.
People also impact the Nexus by creating demand for food and energy, thereby increasing the production and consumption of both. Almost every decision a homeowner makes, like turning on the tap, using electricity, or buying food at the store, impact the Water Nexus.
People can reduce their water consumption (and their water bill!) by:
Explore the impact of everyday water decisions and learn more ways to save water by taking our quiz here.
Broader scale water conservation programs help implement water conserving strategies like those listed above through larger scale, coordinated efforts.
Community or municipal water conservation programs can include strategies for reducing residential, commercial and industrial water demand, from repairing water distribution systems to minimize loss from leaks, to installing water meters, or exploring unique reuse programs within their jurisdiction3.
The Alberta Water Nexus simulator is an engaging tool that asks users to make decisions regarding water use in the Bow River Basin in the year 2030. Users are then able to view the impact of those decisions on our water resources. The simulator uses real-life examples from the major consumers of water in the Bow River Basin including the food and energy sectors, and people.
In the Nexus simulator, people are household water users making decisions about water use at home. For instance, users can decide how they water their lawn, and select whether they have a dual flush toilet and low flow showerhead. The simulator then scales up their response to show what municipal water use would look like in the Basin if every household made the same choices as they did.
Everyone and every sector in the Water Nexus shares a common water supply. This supply is limited, and quality and quantity vary on a year by year basis, making it especially important to plan in advance for how to best share the water. All the sectors in the Nexus are connected, therefore balancing water between them can be complicated. Actions in the Water Nexus also have cascading impacts into other parts of our society like the economy, our health, and social issues. These cascading impacts can be both positive or negative.
Learn more about the connections of the Nexus by clicking here.
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Ross has extensive executive experience in Operations, Governance, Information Technology and Strategy at the board and senior management level including Mancal Corporation, Mancal Energy, Highridge Exploration and Atlantis Resources. He has worked in Oil and Gas, Coal, Commercial Real Estate, Portfolio Management, Recreation, Retail and Water and Wastewater Treatment. His experience is also geographically diverse having overseen operations in Canada, the United States, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Additionally, he has been on the board of companies with operations in Argentina, Azerbaijan, Barbados, Kazakhstan, and Russia. He has served on numerous Public, Private and Not for Profit Boards across a number of industries.
Ross has been active on several industry Boards and committees including the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) and The Schulich School of Engineering Industry Advisory Council at the Schulich School of Engineering.
Brian is a seasoned Cleantech entrepreneur with a proven history of successfully bringing complex water technologies to the market. With over 25 years of experience, he has led various organizations to achieve significant milestones in the industry.
Having started as the founding CEO of the Pressure Pipe Inspection Company (PPIC) and later taking the helm at the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP), Brian’s entrepreneurial spirit has been instrumental in driving innovation and growth within the sector.
He is an active investor in the cleantech sector and has served on many boards including the Ontario Clean Water Agency.
Actively engaged in industry associations like AWWA, WEF, IWA, and ASCE, Brian enjoys collaborating with fellow professionals to promote advancements in the field.
Brian holds an undergraduate degree and a PhD in Physics from Queen’s University, which has provided him with a solid technical foundation. As a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors, he brings valuable insights to corporate governance.