IWA Water Balance in Canada How are we doing?

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1 Leakage Conference Proceedings Page 1 J C Eichenberger Iken Services Canada jamie@ikenservices.com Keyword: ILI; Infraguide; Water Balance Background In the past 5 years, the business of managing the supply of potable water has benefited from the results of the international community coming together to consolidate practices and experience. Between the years 1996 and 2000 the Operations and Maintenance Committee of the International Water Association (IWA) established two Task Forces Performance Indicators and Water Losses. The primary objective of the Performance Indicators Task Force was to recommend Best Practice performance indicators for the water supply industry. The primary objectives of the Water Loss Task Force were to develop a Best Practice internationally applicable water balance, and to recommend Best Practice performance indicators for Non-Revenue Water and Water Losses for the inclusion in the Performance Indicators Task Force outputs. The principle outputs of the Task Forces work were a paper in AQUA, in December 1999, and the IWA Manual for Best Practices, Performance Indicators for Water Supply Services in These publications offer water system managers a set of standardized program elements, international definitions, analytical calculations and resulting performance indicators. IWA Impact in Canada Water audits in Canada for the most part have followed the American Water Works Association (AWWA) M36 Manual guidelines used for Unaccounted For Water (UFW). Generally speaking we have found that 10% was the accepted norm for UFW and that the majority of Cities fell within an 8% to 12% range of this accepted norm. A study done in 1999 by Environment Canada confirmed these figures with an estimated 13% of municipal water use being measured as leakage. (Environment Canada, 1999) Figure 1.1 In 2003 the Government of Canada, through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and National Research Council developed the National Guide to Sustainable Municipal Infrastructure (InfraGuide). The goal of this initiative was to develop industry best practice manuals to help utilities managed their infrastructure in a cost effective manner. The Potable Water division of the InfraGuide acknowledged the lack of industry standards with respect to water loss reporting and developed it s first best practice guide entitled Water Use and Loss in the Distribution Systems. Since then, the InfraGuide has also published two more best practices dealing with water loss, namely Establishing a Metering Plan to Account for Water Use and Loss and Speed and Quality of Linear System Repairs. The InfraGuide best practice on water loss was the first North American best practice manual to recommend the new IWA Standard Water Balance as the best method for reporting water losses. The website for access to these manuals is:

2 Leakage Conference Proceedings Page 2 Figure 1.1 Influences in Canada Regarding Water Loss Abundance and Cost Factors Canada appears to have two major influences on the adoption and implementation of the IWA Water Balance Methodology. The first influence is the apparent abundance of water supply in Canada. According to a Statistics Canada study in 2004, using classification breaks provided by the OECD Key Environmental Indicators, there is only a small portion of the country that has a high consumption to availability of freshwater ratio. The following diagram highlights the areas influenced in our Prairie Provinces and Southern Ontario. (Statistics Canada, 2004) Figure 1.2

3 Leakage Conference Proceedings Page 3 Figure 1.2 Moderate Area 14 Medium to High Area 6 High - Area 7 Abundance of Water Approximately 74% of potable water in Canada comes from surface supply while 26% is through groundwater. The Canadian Prairie Provinces, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba are the only areas with a high Use vs. Availability ratio. Ontario has a moderate ratio but the balance of Canada has an apparent abundance of water. Cost of Water The second influence affecting the implementation of water loss audits is the cost of water in Canada. Water is substantially lower in price than in any other parts of the world. Results of a study done by The World Water Council in 1999 indicate that Canada has the lowest water prices in the world. Rate increases have been implemented since this study but in general it can be assumed that Canada is still well below other countries. (World Water Council, 1999) Figure 1.3

4 Leakage Conference Proceedings Page 4 Figure 1.3 Municipal Priority for Water Loss With water as apparently abundant and inexpensive as it appears in Canada, it has been difficult for municipalities to set a high priority on conservation and sustainability. Unlike private suppliers in other parts of the world, the publicly run utilities are controlled more by social impact. Environmental Impact of Water Use The environmental impact of excessive water use has sparked an interest in the media in recent years. Most Canadian Cities have implemented Demand Side Management (DSM) programs directed at educating the public on ways to conserve water. Water use on lawns and gardens is still a huge factor on water supply in all Cities and steps are taken each year to restrict and reduce the volume of water used. There appears to be little or no correlation between the programs being implemented to educate the public on how to conserve water and the internal education of a City operations group to conserve water by reduction of water loss due to leakage. We as Canadians take a back seat only to the United States of America on water use per capita. Environment Canada has posted the following graphic accepting the fact that results may vary based on measurement criteria. (World Water Council, 1999) Figure 1.4

5 Leakage Conference Proceedings Page 5 Figure 1.4 How Are We Doing? Performance Indicator Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) in Canada With everything taken into consideration regarding the apparent abundance, the relatively inexpensive cost of water and our apparent insatiable appetite for it, Canadian Cities are taking giant steps toward accountability and sustainability in water supply. Water Loss Management Programs are being implemented in the majority of communities and an understanding that others around the world may be ahead of us on the curve to gaining control. The following Canadian Performance Indicator Infrastructure Leakage Index (ILI) has been compiled using the best known, available data. Because most of the IWA Water Balances that are started in Canada are new, some of the contributors have asked to remain anonymous until the results can be verified. (IKEN, 2005) Figure 1.5

6 Leakage Conference Proceedings Page 6 Canadian ILI Index ILI Peel; Region of Peel; (Caledon) Saanich; Dist. of Chilliwack; City of Vernon; GVS Halifax; HRWC West West West Figure 1.5 All of the participants in this index are in the early stages of verifying an initial Water Balance except Halifax that has implemented their audit since 2000 and have been improving the ILI in subsequent years. Two of the participants that are at opposite ends of the scale admit that the initial Water Balance has a very large margin for error. If both of these ILIs were removed from the dataset we see that Canada, at first glance, falls between 1 and 9 ILI. If Canadian Cities prove to be in this range we will have an impressive place on the North American and International Index. Spotlight on Success Halifax ILI We would like to highlight the success of the Water Loss Program underway in Halifax. Not only does Halifax determine a yearly ILI calculation but recently have developed quarterly statistics to help guide their efforts. In 1999 the system registered a 6.4 ILI. With political support, hard work and determination Halifax have brought their ILI down to 3.8 in This represents a total water volume savings of 23,000 cubic metres per day! (Halifax, 2005) Figure 1.6 The staff in Halifax is proud to announce that by the end of 2005 they expect the savings to be 27,000 cubic metres per day!

7 Leakage Conference Proceedings Page 7 Figure 1.6 Summary Canada is being positively influenced by the efforts put forward by the IWA and the Water Loss Task Force. International attention to the availability of the world s freshwater supply will highlight Canada in the years to come. Proper stewardship of this vital resource will be essential if Canada intends to remain an environmentally conscious society on the world stage. The learning curve in most Canadian municipalities regarding water loss is steep. It is essential for all parties involved in infrastructure management and sustainability to make positive steps toward Water Loss Management. Halifax is a shining example of what can be accomplished when the staff within a City embraces and champions the cause. This concludes a look at the IWA Water Balance in Canada. Please continue to look for instalments to the Canadian ILI Index through the IWA Water Loss Task Force.