Water Managed Sites
What is a Water Managed Site?
A Certified Water Managed Site (WMS) is a property with an automatic irrigation system certified by The City of Calgary for water efficiency.
Certified WMS properties must have an automatic irrigation system that uses weather data and/or on-site environmental sensors to control watering schedules.
To maintain a WMS certification, each site must produce an annual performance report that provides evidence that water use was reduced by 25% that year over the baseline of an irrigation timer scheduled to water 3 days a week. Details of each system are captured in an initial water audit or irrigation site assessment conducted by a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor.
A WMS must also have checks in place to ensure the safety of the water delivery system (eg. Cross connection control device) and measure use to prove performance efficiency (eg. irrigation meter or totalizer).
Why does The City of Calgary have a Water Managed Sites Program?
This program was designed to address that not all landscapes are the same. Parks, sport fields, gardens, green space and residential yards are all very different landscapes and require different watering approaches to ensure they remain healthy. For instance, non-functional grass (eg. grass most often only walked on by the owner when it is being mowed) does not require the same amount of water as grass which is used for recreational activities.
Unlike lawn, which goes dormant when insufficient water is provided. Gardens and trees require regular watering or precipitation to remain healthy.
This program was also developed in recognition that watering restrictions required in the Water Utility Bylaw can deem some irrigation systems practically useless for keeping vegetation healthy. Irrigation systems can often be found in large, high use green spaces like parks and recreation fields.
Restricting irrigation to these spaces to 1-2 hours per week effectively means those systems cannot run long enough to cycle through each zone. A WMS however, is proven to be an efficiently irrigated site and as a result, is permitted to water as required during Stage 1-3 restrictions, but at reduced rates.
Why become a Certified Water Managed Site?
The WMS program is designed to ensure water is provided to landscapes which require it, as long as it is being used as efficiently as possible, each and every day, during the irrigation season.
Being a WMS means you value the natural assets you are responsible for and understand the importance careful water management plays in ensuring water is available for all of our needs.A certified WMS indicates that the irrigation system present can respond to weather and/or soil moisture conditions at that site and apply the appropriate amount of water (no more, no less) to the landscape to keep it healthy, while avoiding water wastage.
WMS are required to reduce their water use by 25% each year compared to a baseline operation of that site’s irrigation system in that year. In return, a certified WMS is granted the opportunity to continue watering, as required by the site conditions, during watering schedules or at reduced rates during drought restrictions, as per Schedule E of the Water Utility Bylaw.
How can my site become a Water Managed Site?
Step 1: Site equipment verification
Ensure you have the equipment installed and operating on your site that meet the criteria for a certified Water Managed Site including:
- A smart controller with remote operability and real-time weather data capabilities
- Weather station or a rain sensor or moisture sensor
- Leak/flow sensor
- Electronically controlled irrigation master valve
- A recently inspected and approved Cross Connection Control Device (RP/DCVA)
- Billing meter (Tier 1 sites only) or
- Volume totalizer (Tier 2 sites only)
Step 2: Book a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor
Contact a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor. Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditors are certified by the Irrigation Association. A list of local, certified auditors can be found on the Irrigation Association - Certification Directory.
The Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor must maintain their certification status. A Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor who does not maintain their certification or knowingly falsifies information in the applications/audits/irrigation system assessments or performance reports will be removed from The City’s list of Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditors.
Step 3: Certification application
Have your Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor visit your property to conduct an inspection of your system and complete your certification application form on your behalf. Your Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor must complete a fillable form and send it to watermanagedsites@calgary.ca
You will receive confirmation of the status of your application within 10 working days. Until that time, your site’s irrigation system must continue to operate normally, following all watering schedules or outdoor water restrictions enforced through the Water Utility Bylaw.
Sites which are not certified will be notified and must follow the recommendations given before re-applying for certification.
The property owner along with the CLIA will determine which Tier is best for each site. A Tier 1 site will most of be a park, playground, sports field or large green space. A Tier 2 site will commonly be a single family residential or small ICI space.
Sites which are certified will be immediately updated on a list of certified sites referenced by The City’s Community Standards team to keep records available for officers to reference.
Step 4: Irrigation System Audit/Assessment
Once a site is certified, the next step is for your Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor to conduct and submit a Catch Can Audit or Irrigation System Assessment (ISA) during the irrigation season.
For Tier 1 sites a Catch Can Audit will be required. For all other sites (Tier 2) providing an Irrigation System Assessment is sufficient. Contact watermanagedsites@calgary.ca for a Catch Can Audit and Irrigation Assessment (ISA) templates.
Catch Can Audit or ISA must be completed and submitted by your Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor along with your site’s performance report (see Step 5) before the end of the irrigation season for evaluation and re-certification. The Audit/ISA report will be reviewed by The City.
Step 5: Site Performance Report
Each year, at the end of the irrigation season, a Site Performance Report (SPR) must be submitted by your Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor. These are due by November 30 each year.
If the SPR produces the required water saving performance for the site that year and the audit/ISA meets the required criteria and recommendations for improvement are made, the site can be granted a certified Water Managed Site status for the following year.
Step 6: Certification
When the review of all documentation is complete, The City will notify the applicant of the status of their site. If the site is granted certified status, instructions will be provided related to water use criteria that must continue to be met for Tier 1 or Tier 2 sites under ‘normal conditions’ and during outdoor water use restrictions.
WMS certification is granted for one year and is based on annual performance reporting results following each irrigation season.
What are the benefits of a Water Managed Site?
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
How will my property be identified as a Water Managed Site?
All certified WMS will receive a letter from The City identifying their property as a registered WMS.
Community Standards will be provided with a list of Water Managed Sites for bylaw officers to reference.
Does a Water Managed Site ever have to be re-certified?
All certified Water Managed Sites must have a Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor submit a performance report on their behalf at the end of each irrigation season. If the site meets the 25% criteria for water savings that year, the site will be re-certified for the following irrigation season.
A 25% reduction in water use is a minimum water savings requirement. If outdoor water use restrictions are enacted during the irrigation season WMS must further reduce their water use by an additional amount during each stage as per Schedule E in the Water Utility Bylaw. At a Stage 4 water restriction WMS must stop operating all irrigation systems.
How can I save water if I don’t have an automatic irrigation system?
You can still help conserve water and have a beautiful yard by using these outdoor water conservation tips and tools.
Who do I reach out to if I have other questions about the program or the status of my application to the program?
Send all questions to watermanagedsites@calgary.ca or call 311.