Exploring barriers and drivers of water reuse in Alberta

Images courtesy Advancing Canadian Water Assets (ACWA), University of Calgary

Water scarcity is front of mind for Albertans. Many communities in the province endured significant drought conditions over the past two years, and climate change will only exacerbate these challenges over time. The City of Calgary has even identified drought as one of the city’s top climate hazards.

With drought and water shortages becoming more common, there is increasing interest in water reuse as a sustainability strategy. Water reuse takes stormwater or wastewater, something we usually think of as a waste product, and transforms it into a valuable resource. When wastewater can be safely repurposed for irrigation or even drinking water, more freshwater can be left in the environment.

Water reuse is not new in Alberta. For instance, the City of Calgary has piloted several water reuse initiatives, including using stormwater to irrigate golf courses, and is developing a Water Security Roadmap and Water Reuse Assessment with the support of Alberta Innovates. Other communities and organizations around Alberta are also exploring opportunities for water reuse. However, approval of new projects often remains challenging, even with proven technologies. Existing wastewater legislation and infrastructure were designed to manage a nuisance and health hazard, not provide a pathway for reuse – even for simple irrigation projects. For drinking water, should communities decide to explore that option, the hurdles would be even higher. Plus, there are negative perceptions around using something once considered waste.

“Water reuse is both a social issue and a policy issue,” says Norman Neumann, a professor at the University of Alberta's School of Public Health and Centre for Healthy Communities scientist. “Are people willing to drink water sourced from wastewater? Social dimensions can be a driver of adoption if done right, but can just as easily be a barrier.”

Advancing these much-needed conversations was the driving thrust behind this year’s Centre for Healthy Communities Innovation Forum. The event, Water Reuse and Climate Resiliency in Municipalities, took place on October 24, 2024, and was hosted by the Centre for Healthy Communities, School of Public Health in partnership with Alberta Innovates, Alberta Municipalities and the City of Calgary. The Innovation Forum brought together people from all sectors and walks of life: academic researchers, Indigenous representatives, provincial and municipal governments, not-for-profit organizations, industry leaders and several private citizens.

“We worked hard to create a flat, safe space where everyone could share their perspective,” says Candace Nykiforuk, scientific director of the Centre for Healthy Communities and professor in the School of Public Health. “It’s one of the things we’re really proud of.”

Fostering a multi-sector community of practice was a core goal of the organizers. The event included a series of breakout conversations which addressed the drivers and barriers to water reuse across four dimensions: policy, social, technical and environmental. All participants were encouraged to share their experiences in open dialogue, sparking ideas and building relationships with others working on water reuse.

“Governments need to know what the public and industry are thinking. A community of practice can move things forward, but it takes coordination and people well versed in the social sector to make it happen,” says Neumann. “That’s the expertise Candace and the Centre for Healthy Communities bring.”

For municipalities like the City of Calgary, forums like these provide valuable insight into the needs of their partners and communities.

“Coming together as a community and working with other levels of government and different end users is really helpful,” says Pamela Duncan, Environmental Strategy in Climate and Environment team lead at the City of Calgary. “It will be our citizens, our businesses and our industries that will benefit from water reuse. That’s why it’s so important that we as a municipality can support the building of water reuse solutions.”

Alberta Innovates is also a firm believer in knowledge sharing opportunities like the Innovation Forum. In addition to supporting the event as a hosting partner, Alberta Innovates’ Water Innovation Program Director, Mark Donner, helped facilitate one of the breakout sessions.

“The Innovation Forum aligns with our water conservation goals, and we support projects that help address important research and technology development opportunities related to water reuse. We’re excited to help the event happen and extend its reach to a broader audience,” says Donner. “Water reuse is one of the many tools that we can use to increase our future water security”.
Alberta will face water management challenges in the years ahead, but water reuse could open a path to more holistic water stewardship, and momentum behind it is growing. A week following the Innovation Forum, the Government of Alberta began a staged engagement process to identify opportunities to enhance Alberta’s water management system. Water reuse is expected to be a topic of discussion as part of that engagement process.

“There’s a lot more to the Water Act than reuse, but this is one of multiple things that drove the government to open it up,” says Neumann. “These communities of practice play a key role in informing government on what parts need to be changed. It’s a positive step forward.”