Water Smart Action Plan

The City of Courtenay retained Water Street to develop a water conservation plan that reflects the City’s commitment to reducing indoor and outdoor water use. The plan aimed to reduce non-agricultural consumption by 50% by 2050 from 2008 levels to meet the Comox Valley Regional District’s (CVRD’s) Water Efficiency Plan targets.

The plan used population, GIS areas and land use, service meter data, and parks irrigation meter data to develop a lot-by-lot bottom-up demand build.  Previous minimum night flow monitoring was used to estimate leakage.  The data was then combined to develop calibrated winter and summer water balances for existing consumption.

Notably the water balances split indoor and outdoor water consumption and consumption by sector.  The water balance was completed using AWWA M36 methodology.

City growth planning data and fixture stock models were used to forecast future baseline demands (including impacts of densification) to yr-2050.

A set of water conservation programs were then identified and evaluated. The detailed breakdown of the water inputs allowed for accurate and justifiable predictions of the impacts of each water conservation measure considered.  A sub-set of programs recommended to reach the reduction targets, including scope, recommendations, and estimated costs.