Alberta budgets $400,000 to study long-term water supply as southern demand outpaces north's reserves
The study will examine whether Alberta should pursue major water-transfer projects like California's aqueduct to move water from water-rich north to demand-heavy south.
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Alberta's government is launching a $400,000 study into the long-term security of the province's water supply, looking 100 years ahead as population and industry growth strain southern resources.
Environment Minister Grant Hunter said Thursday that Alberta's population, industry and farming sector are all expanding and reliable water access is essential to sustain that growth. "Water is the foundation of Alberta's future," Hunter said. "We're looking 100 years ahead and asking what Alberta needs to build, invest in and do differently today to secure our water supply for generations to come."
Much of Alberta's available water sits in the north, while several southern river basins — including the Bow, Oldman and South Saskatchewan — have been closed to new water diversion licences for almost two decades. Alberta also faces cross-jurisdictional limits on basins shared with Saskatchewan or the United States.
The study will review major water transfer projects around the world, including the California aqueduct and China's South-North Water Transfer system, both designed to channel water hundreds of kilometres from water-rich to arid or demand-heavy regions. The request for proposals asks whether Alberta could pursue something similar.
The government expects the study to be finished next spring and will use its findings to inform a new long-term water management plan and spark discussions between the province, local governments and Indigenous communities.
The timing reflects broader pressure. Meta announced last month it will build its first Canadian data centre just north of Edmonton — facilities that consume substantial water for cooling, though Meta says this one will use a closed-loop system. Meanwhile, Edmonton shattered its summer rain record before August even began this year, but the province has weathered severe droughts in 2023 and 2021.
What specific regions in southern Alberta would benefit from a new water-transfer system?
How much new water infrastructure would Alberta need to build, and what would it cost?
Would cross-border agreements with Saskatchewan and the U.S. allow such a transfer project?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
How much is Alberta spending on this water supply study?
Alberta's government is investing $400,000 in the study to examine the province's long-term water security.
Why are southern Alberta's river basins closed to new water diversion licences?
The Bow, Oldman, and South Saskatchewan river basins have been closed to new water diversion licences for almost two decades because demand has outpaced available supply in southern Alberta.
What international water transfer projects will the study examine?
The study will review the California aqueduct and China's South-North Water Transfer system, both of which move water hundreds of kilometres from water-rich regions to areas facing water scarcity or high demand.
