Water Services

Water Treatment & Quality
Lead Sampling Program

Okotoks' water supply comes from 13 groundwater wells that draw from surface water (river, rain, and runoff). The Town of Okotoks is committed to providing high quality, safe and clean tap water.

Here are a few facts:

Okotoks water meets or exceeds current federal and provincial regulatory standards.
Your water may appear cloudy when you initially pour it from the tap. This is caused by dissolved air in your water and is not an indicator of any problem. The water will clear if you let it stand for a few minutes.
It is recommended that you use a de-chlorination chemical prior to using tap water for fish tanks. These chemicals are readily available at most pet stores.
It is good practice to run the tap water for a few minutes after periods of no water use (i.e. 6 hours or more) to flush out the water that has been sitting in your household plumbing. To help conserve water, you can collect and use the flushed water for washing or watering plants.

Lead Testing Image

Due to recent Health Canada’s decision to lower the Maximum Acceptable Concentration (MAC) of lead in water from 0.010 mg/L to 0.005 mg/L, all municipalities in Canada are required to complete lead testing.

Okotoks will be testing 60 homes from different neighbourhoods throughout the community, focusing on those built prior to 1975. Random testing of homes will take place the last two weeks of September and respective residents will be contacted.

Testing is taking place in response to the Canadian mandate to continue ensuring high standards for the Canadian Drinking Water Quality. Testing in Okotoks in 2020 has indicated only trace amounts of lead that are far below Health Canada’s Maximum Allowable Concentration and all Town infrastructure is lead free.

Testing will be carried out following COVID-19 safety protocols in order to maintain the health, safety and well-being of residents and staff. Please refer to the Okotoks website to stay updated on the Town’s response to COVID-19.

Residents who are not contacted by the Town can independently have their water tested through an accredited laboratory. These tests would not be free.

See FAQs below for more details.

Town of Okotoks Cross Connection Control Program

A cross connection is a potential or real connection between the Town of Okotoks water supply and any source of contamination.
Cross connection contamination sources include but are not limited to:
- Swimming Pools
- Lawn irrigation systems
- Sprinkler systems
- Weed and feed dispensers connected to garden hoses
- Hoses laying in pools of water
The Town of Okotoks has implemented a Cross Connection Control Program to protect our water supply by auditing potential contamination connections and ensuring that all devices to prevent backflow are in correct working order.
Prevention of Backflow
In compliance with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA B64.10), National Plumbing Code and the Town of Okotoks Water Bylaw property owners must ensure regulations are followed.
Your role:
In order to maintain compliance owners must:
- Isolate property water systems from public water systems
- Use backflow prevention devices where cross connections can’t be eliminated
What devices need to be tested?
- Reduced Pressure Principle Assemblies
- Pressure Vacuum Breaker Assemblies
- Double Check Valve Assemblies
What devices do not need to be tested?
- Hose Connection Vacuum Breakers
- Residential Dual Check Valves
- Provide testing by approved testers to ensure the devices are operating correctly
Testable Cross Connection Control Devices are to be tested:
- At the time of installation
- Annually
- When the device is relocated
- When the device is cleaned, repaired or overhauled
- When an irrigation system is turned on each season
An approved tester must test and submit a report directly to the Town of Okotoks Water Services.
What is a cross connection?
A cross connection is a real or potential connection between the public water system and a source of contamination or pollution.
What is backflow?
Backflow is when water flows in reverse of the standard operating direction. Instead of water flowing into a property, the water flows towards the public water supply.
What causes backflow?
Backpressure and back siphonage.
- Backpressure is when water of a different pressure is introduced into the supply system (booster pumps, elevation changes, temperature increases)
- Back siphonage is when negative pressure occurs due to water main breaks, line repairs, hydrant usage
What are Backflow Prevention Devices (Cross Connection Control Devices)?
A backflow prevention device is a mechanism that inhibits water from flowing backward into the water supply. They come in many forms i.e. (Air Gaps, Reduced Pressure Principle Backflow Valves, Pressure Vacuum Breakers, Dual Check Valves, etc.).
A common household backflow prevention valve is a Hose Connection Vacuum Breaker, which can be attached to an outdoor gardening faucet to prevent backflow from residential situations.
What devices need to be tested?
- Reduced Pressure Principle Assemblies
- Pressure Vacuum Breaker Assemblies
- Double Check Valve Assemblies
What devices do not need to be tested?
- Hose Connection Vacuum Breakers
- Residential Dual Check Valves
Why do these devices need to be tested?
These devices have seals, springs and moving parts that can wear over time. Annual testing by qualified testers ensures they are functioning correctly.
Who is responsible for the testing?
The property owner or agent of the property, as identified in the lease agreement.
I received a notification that my backflow prevention device requires testing, what do I need to do?
Contact a certified tester to test your cross connection control device at the identified address.
Who can do the testing?
Certified testers are to complete the test. Individuals who are registered as a Cross Connection Control Specialist can complete it. The tester must have a Town of Okotoks Business License.
I have been notified I need to install an appropriate backflow prevention device – what do I need to do?
Contact a certified Cross Connection Control Specialist who is capable of completing the installation.
If you would like further information on the Town of Okotoks Cross Connection Control Program please contact Water Services using the contact information at the bottom of the page.

Okotoks Water Treatment Plant

Illustration of Okotoks Water Treatment Plant Process

PRODUCTS THAT ARE BAD FOR YOUR SEWER PIPES:
- Flushed dental floss can get wrapped around the backflow valve in the sanitary sewer pipe resulting in raw sewage backing up into your home.
- "Flushable" baby wipes, cleaning wipes, disposable diapers and cotton swabs can quickly clog up a sewer pipe.
- Cooking fats, oils and grease will clog your pipes and are not broken down by flushing with hot water and soap.
PRODUCTS THAT ARE BAD FOR YOUR LOCAL WATERSHED:
- Wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove most medicines, personal care products, and household hazardous wastes. As a result, these products will be returned untreated into our lakes and rivers.
- Anything that is washed or poured into grates at the side of the street will wind up flowing through the storm water system into our lakes and rivers. Storm water does not receive any treatment.

Fire Hydrant Maintenance

A working fire hydrant is essential for fire protection and required under the Alberta Fire Code. This kind of maintenance work, which is weather dependent, can entail pumping high-pressured water through the pipes and releasing it through fire hydrants. The Town's Water Services team performs routine maintenance on fire hydrants each spring/summer to ensure they are in good working order for community safety.
Water Services continually monitors and performs ongoing water quality tests to ensure you have quality on tap.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Town's Water Services.
What customers can expect:
- You may notice water running down your street into catch basins.
- This process may temporarily result in cloudy water and/or changes in water pressure. Your water will not be turned off and remains safe to use.
- As the water is emptied out of the distribution system before it passes your meter, your bill will not be affected. You are only charged for water that passes the water meter on your private property.

Fluoride Removal

Okotoks stopped the addition of fluoride in the drinking water on December 20, 2012, in accordance with the Town of Okotoks' Water System Approval # 1029-03-00 (issued December 13, 2012). Fluoride naturally occurs in the Sheep River in concentrations varying throughout the year, between 0.22 and 0.23 mg/L.
Fluoride Program
A free program is available for access to oral health examination and topical fluoride varnish for children ages 12 to 25 months and living in Okotoks. This alternative program is administered through the Okotoks Health & Wellness Centre, and was developed in partnership with the Town of Okotoks, along with the Calgary Rural Primary Care Network and Alberta Health Services.
To book a free visual screening and fluoride varnish application for your child, or for more information on the alternative program, please contact the Okotoks Health & Wellness Centre.

Lead in Water

Key facts you should know:
The majority of Okotoks’ water network construction occurred after regulations were established that prohibited the use of lead in piping. The Town of Okotoks is continuously investing in renewal of aging water infrastructure to provide reliable and safe water services to their costumers. Less than one percent of utility customers are on water mains that were installed prior to 1975.
The Town will be reviewing the guidance documents from Managing Lead in Municipal Drinking Water System produced by Alberta Environment and Parks, to establish a Town-wide Lead Management Plan that addresses the risk of consumption of lead in drinking water at the customer’s tap.
Recent changes in the utility rate structure will provide resources to continue to fund upgrades and maintenance of the Town’s infrastructure to ensure Okotoks continues to have safe drinking water into the future
As few properties in Okotoks will be affected, those wishing to have their water tested can submit a service request online and the Town will review the age and condition of the infrastructure around the property to determine if it is eligible for Town testing.
Request Testing
Further information on lead in water by the AWWA :
Keeping your water safe brochure (courtesy of American Water Works Association).
Why is our water being tested?
In March 2019 Health Canada issued a new guideline for lead in our drinking water. They lowered the acceptable limits of lead from 0.010 mg/l to 0.005 mg/l. The Town of Okotoks consistently tests lower than these values. As a requirement additional testing has been mandated to ensure the safety of our water supply.
How are the homes being selected?
Homes were selected based on the Health Canada and Alberta Environment and Parks (AEP) Guidelines. Homes built prior to 1975 were more susceptible to lead products during construction. So those are the primary target group while also including homes built after 1975 in order to get a well-rounded sample area of Okotoks.
How will I know if I’m selected?
You will be contacted with a letter delivered to your door explaining the process and how to sign-up for the program. This package will also include the sampling sheet to be filled out and the disclaimer to be completed by the homeowner.
Why is my house not being tested?
Homes built prior to 1975 are the target sampling group based on construction materials in that time period that were acceptable in the National Plumbing Code. Newer homes have also been selected to give a broad sample group of our infrastructure, but all selections were random.
If selected how do I book my appointment?
You will be required to schedule an appointment using the link provided in the letter you receive
How can I tell if my water contains lead in excess of the maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) in the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water?
Lead dissolved in water cannot be seen, and has no taste or smell. Laboratory analysis is necessary to determine lead levels present in water.
Are any of the Town of Okotoks Water lines made of lead?
Okotoks has worked to replace aging water mains and water service lines. We do not have any public lead service lines within the town. However, there may still be private service lines from the property line to the house that are made of lead or contain lead. There also may be internal plumbing of the building may also still contain lead pipes and solder containing lead in these older homes. The Town of Okotoks is responsible only for the public property – whereas the homeowner is responsible for the piping on private property.
When is the sampling taking place?
Sampling will occur between September 14th and September 28th, 2020.
What will the Town do with the results?
The town will analyze the results once received from the lab and determine the risk to our water system, as well as report these findings to the Alberta Environment and Parks. Homeowners that have samples taken will be notified of the results within 14 days of the town receiving them.
What if the results come back over the acceptable limits?
If the maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) is exceeded we will complete re-sampling to ensure the results are accurate, then review the public infrastructure and notify homeowners of interim recommendations from the Alberta Environment and Parks.
Will the town be replacing private-side water lines in this program?
No - the Town is responsible for public infrastructure only, but we can help find resolutions for the homeowner if their results come back over the acceptable limits.
Will the operators be adhering to COVID protocol? What precautions?
Yes all operators will be wearing all required PPE to adhere with the municipal, provincial and federal COVID-19 mandates.
Who do I contact for further information?
The Town of Okotoks – Water Services using the contact information below.

Bulk Water

The Town of Okotoks sells bulk water to commercial and residential customers. For more information please contact the Town Operations Centre online or at 403-938-4372.

Last Updated: June 28, 2023

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Water Services

Town of Okotoks Cross Connection Control Program

Okotoks Water Treatment Plant

Fire Hydrant Maintenance

Fluoride Removal

Lead in Water

Bulk Water

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