Lethbridge residents used 16 per cent less water this summer than last

The City of Lethbridge says water usage this summer was less than expected.

The City of Lethbridge says water usage this summer was lower than expected.

According to the city, summer 2024 saw a 16 per cent decrease in water usage from summer 2023.

As of Sept. 16, the Oldman Reservoir held a storage of 64 per cent, with the normal level being between 73 to 85 per cent. The St. Mary Reservoir was at 53 per cent full, while the Waterton Reservoir was at 52 per cent.

"It's been really good, and it's because of the community that we've been able to meet those reductions," said Mark Svenson, manager of environment with the City of Lethbridge.

Despite this, Svenson warns people need to continue to watch their water usage as summer wraps up.

"Lots of people are starting to get their yards ready for fall, and that's great," he said. "But keep in mind that we still need to conserve our water resources to the extent possible."

There are no mandatory water restrictions in place in Lethbridge, but the community is encouraged to voluntarily conserve water.

Focus on winter

While the summer yielded positive news, experts are now shifting their focus to the winter.

In January, the Oldman Reservoir was only about a quarter full at a time when it's typically 60 per cent full.      

"We are going to go into an La Nina year," said Stefan Kienzle, a retired University of Lethbridge professor of geography and environment.

"A La Nina year means for us a cooler and a wetter winter, so that is good news."

Kienzle says the more moisture in the autumn the better.

"The precipitation that falls in the fall mostly stays in the soil until the next spring, and then is helping to get the soil moisture levels to the levels that the farmers need," he explained.

The snowpack in the Rocky Mountains is near zero, according to Kienzle.

In order to restore those levels, an above-normal snowfall is needed.

"We want to have as much snow in the winter in the mountains as we can get," he said.