October Utility Newsletter Insert

Infrastructure Update: 2025 Water Loss and I&I Progress

At the Town of Olds, we are committed to maintaining a safe, reliable, and efficient water system for
all residents. This year, our focus has been on reducing water loss, as announced in the news release
“Olds Making Progress on Addressing Sewer System and Water Loss Issues“, and addressing inflow
and infiltration (I&I) in our wastewater systems. These issues represent a significant challenge to our
financial health, covered in our 2025 Financial Report, and is a top priority for the Town.

KEY 2025 HIGHLIGHTS:

• Lower Water Loss: Our annual water loss percentage for 2025 is 22.74%, down from 28.12% in
  2024, 32.42% in 2023, and 30.23% in 2022. This demonstrates a clear, steady reduction in water
  loss over the past few years through ongoing leak detection, repairs, and water meter
  replacements.
• Reduced Inflow & Infiltration (I&I): Annual I&I for 2025 is 36.2%, trending lower than 39.6% in
  2024, 41.8% in 2023, and 47.7% in 2022. Even with significantly greater precipitation in 2025
  compared to 2024, we are seeing less rainwater and groundwater entering the sanitary sewer
  system, showing that our targeted efforts are working.
• Water Meter Program: The water meter implementation program is progressing well, with over 700 installations completed so far. Early results are already showing benefits: the program has identified three service line leaks and two leaks within homes, allowing us and homeowners to address issues before they escalate. Additionally, we are recording an average 8.3% increase in billing accuracy, due to old meters underreading water consumption.
  • Water Meter Program FAQs
• 2025 Repairs and Maintenance (so far):
  • 21 water leaks repaired.
  • 13 sanitary services with heavy infiltration repaired.
  • 2 sanitary main line segments with heavy infiltration repaired.
  • 5 sanitary manholes experiencing overland inflow identified and repaired.
• CCTV Inspections of Sanitary Sewers: Inspections are ongoing, and over 70 points of infiltration have been identified to date. These inspections allow us to target repairs efficiently and prevent further stress on the wastewater system.

WHY THIS MATTERS:

Reducing water loss and I&I is crucial for a sustainable utility system. These improvements mean:

• More efficient use of water across the community.
• Fewer service interruptions caused by leaks or infrastructure issues.
• Long-term savings for residents through reduced water waste and maintenance costs.

IMPACTS OF GROWTH:

• The Town’s strategic growth is necessary for the continued financial health of our community. Check out the Town’s Housing Strategy to learn more about our how we plan to grow responsibly.
• People often ask about the impact of growth on the utility system. While population growth means more water usage and wastewater, the Town has the capacity in both systems to service significantly more residents and businesses than it currently does.
• The stress our utility infrastructure is under is not from usage but from leaking and broken pipes and manholes that allow potable water to leave the water system and storm water to enter the sanitary system.

LOOKING AHEAD:

Our team will continue monitoring the system, performing inspections, and completing repairs
throughout the year. Residents play a key role too! If you notice a leak, broken hydrant, reduced
pressure, or other utility-related issue, please report it through our Report a Problem platform or by
calling 403-556-6981.

Thank you for helping us keep Olds’ water system safe, efficient, and sustainable. Together, we’re
making a difference for the community now and into the future.

View October's Utility Newsletter as a PDF