Securing water licence transfers and improving conservation practices are just two of the components of a water strategy being developed for Cochrane to ensure we have an adequate supply for future growth.

With the town's population hovering around the 30,000 mark, town council has approved an expenditure of $110,000 to examine how to meet the future needs of the community. Cochrane's current water licence is estimated to support a population of 40,000 people, though there are variables which could make it slightly higher or lower.

Rick Deans, senior manager of infrastructure, explained no new water licences are available for the Bow River, the town's sole water source,  and additional water licences would have to be purchased on the open market. Few licences are potentially available for purchase and they are costly. Additionally, transferring ownership is a complicated process that could take several years to complete.

The strategy will identify options and obtain support services to assist in the negotiations of any potential water licence transfer.

It will also examine new policy direction relating to water use/reuse and will be taken into consideration as part of the overall work program. 

New programs and innovative approaches to further reducing the community's water demands will be explored. The town has been down this road before and was able to extend the value of the existing licence to meet the needs of 40,000, compared to a projected value of 30,000 people in 2008.

Over the last decade, Deans says the town has successfully reduced water usage to 270 litres/person/day from 399. In isolation, residential usage has been reduced to 184 litres/person/day. Yet he also recognizes there is room for further improvements.

"We plan on looking at every idea possible, no matter how off-the-wall or practical the idea may seem," he said.

Available options will be reported back to council this fall.

The funding will come from the town's Future Water Project Reserve that currently has an uncommitted balance of $991,725.39.