Town of Didsbury

The Town of Didsbury's water source is through the Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission. The regional water treatment plant west of Innisfail services over 25,000 people in the communities of Innisfail, Bowden, Olds, Didsbury, Carstairs, and Crossfield.

The Town of Didsbury has a member of Council as it's representative on the Commission. 

Anthony Henday Water Treatment Plant: Site 22, RR1, Box 1, Innisfail, Alberta.

Visit the Mountain View Regional Water Services Commission's website for more information on water quality and to view Public Notices/Water Quality Reports.

Water is our most precious resource. Doing everything in our power to prevent water waste helps to conserve this vital resource while saving money. Two main sources of water waste are leaks and the over-watering of lawns and gardens. For many properties, the first suspicion of a leak occurs when high water consumption is noticed on the water bill. Always check your water bill for abnormal consumption.

Chlorine is a disinfectant used in the treatment process year-round. During the Spring Runoff, some of the remaining organic material reacts with the chlorine in the treated water. This makes the "swimming pool" smell more noticeable in the spring.

Most lawns receive far more water than they need for a healthy appearance. The key to watering lawns is to apply the water infrequently, yet thoroughly, creating a deep, well-rooted lawn that efficiently uses water stored in the soil.

A good rule of thumb is to apply 1-inch (2.5 cm) of water once a week, before 9:00 am, to avoid excessive evaporation. Set your sprinkler up so that you avoid watering patios, driveways, and sidewalks.

Each Spring is different, but on average runoff, conditions last between three and six weeks. Mountain run-off in late June and early July can also cause run-off conditions, as will heavy rainfall events.  

There is no added fluoride in the water. However, fluoride occurs naturally in the water at low levels between 0.10 - 0.19 mg per litre.  

It’s easy to find small ways around the house to reduce unnecessary water usage.

•  Turn off the tap or reduce its flow when you are not actively using water to brush your teeth, wash your face or hands, or to rinse off soapy dishes. For a family, this small act will reduce your water usage by about 31 litres per day. 
• Installing HET, low-flush or dual-flush toilets will reduce water use by up to 63 litres per person per day.
• Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when they are fully loaded, reducing usage by about 132 litres of water a week. 
• Installing low-flow showerheads and having shorter showers will reduce this usage by up to 50 litres per 10-minute shower.
• Get yourself a rain barrel or two to capture rainwater for use in the garden any type of barrel will work fine.

The Red Deer River is the source of drinking water for the Town of Didsbury and area residents. Because the river picks up mud, silt, and other organic material during Spring Runoff, these materials can give the water an earthy odor and taste. The Anthony Henday Water Treatment Plant removes most of these organics, however, due to their high levels during the Spring Runoff, enough of the organics may remain to be noticeable.  

Yes. Left long enough, even a slow undetected drip or silent leak can cost you hundreds of dollars a year. Make it a habit to check your home for leaks on a regular basis. 

High volume water leaks often come from toilets. They are hard to detect and are usually caused by worn or misaligned parts. 

A toilet that continues to run after flushing could be wasting 20-40 litres per hour - that's 175,000 to 350,000 litres (175 to 350 cubic meters) per year, enough water to fill a swimming pool. Leaks can cost you up to several hundred dollars per year!

Very few accounts will show an estimated read. If your bill shows an estimate, please call the Utilities Department at 403.335.2030.

Organic material will actually dissolve and stain the water a light brown colour, similar to the action of tea leaves in a cup. The treatment process removes most of the colour, however, at times when the organic load is high, some colour may be carried into the treated water.

Yes. The water in the Town of Didsbury distribution system meets or exceeds all Federal and Provincial environmental standards. The Town performs rigorous testing to ensure water quality and continually upgrades the infrastructure and processes to meet improving environmental standards.  

The average Canadian uses 326 litres of water per day; this amount increases to 440 litres per day during the summer months. 

Undetected leaks of all kinds can easily double your water bill or much worse in 30 days. In an average household, 30% of water is used for toilet flushing, 35% is used for showers/baths, 20% for laundry, 10% for cooking and drinking, 5% for cleaning.

Toilets are notorious for hidden or silent leaks because leaks are seldom noticed unless the toilet "runs” after each flush. Check your toilets for leaks regularly. Replace old, inefficient or leaky toilets with HET (High-Efficiency Toilets), Low-flush or Dual-flush toilets.

Outdoor Hoses. A thirsty garden uses a lot of water. The average garden hose has an output of 35 litres per minute. At this rate, running a hose or sprinkler for half-an-hour uses 1050 litres of water. Plus, if you accidentally leave your hose dribbling or dripping, you can waste an astounding amount of water.

Long Showers and high-flow faucets/showerheads. A 10-minute shower uses an average of 100 liters of water. Low-flow showerheads and faucets may reduce your usage in these areas by half.

The range of total hardness is between 170 - 230 mg/L

Should your bill show an estimated read, the bill is calculated on your average use in the last 24 months.

Spring Runoff refers to the high water flows encountered when warmer temperatures cause snow in the watershed to melt. This can cause higher than normal stream flows and flooding in low lying areas. This meltwater will carry with it dead and decaying organic material such as last year's leaves and grasses as well as mud and silt stirred up by faster-moving water.  

Residents can put water in a pitcher to let it aerate. Adding lemons or filtering through a consumer charcoal filter can also help improve the smell and taste.