New and expanded Water Act exemptions will increase water availability, improve conservation, support agricultural production and help protect communities from future emergencies.
Currently, many dugouts are sized too small to capture available water because of a 2,500 cubic metre exemption limit. Effective immediately, farmers and ranchers can fill their dugouts up to 7,500 cubic metres – triple the previous limit – provided the water is used for agricultural purposes. This change helps protect them from future droughts and supports strong agricultural operations.
“Albertans asked for practical improvements to make more water available, and we’re delivering. These changes make it easier for farmers, businesses and communities to access and store water. It’s good for communities, the environment and the economy.”
“Reliable access to water is essential for Alberta’s farmers and ranchers, especially as they manage drought risk and plan for the future. These practical changes respond directly to what producers and rural communities have been asking for – making it easier to store and use water responsibly so agricultural operations can remain strong, resilient and productive."
Alberta’s government is also making it easier for communities and businesses to use less fresh water by using stormwater instead. Under the new exemptions, a newly constructed wetland will also be able to capture and fill with up to 7,500 cubic metres of local surface runoff per year. That’s a 1,250 cubic metre increase from the previous limit, supporting more wetlands across the province.
Other changes include making it easer to:
- Use water for bridge, sign washing and dust control.
- Supply water to a temporary work camp.
- Access water from borrow pits on unoccupied public land in the Green Area.
As demand for water increases across our province, Alberta’s government is modernizing the water management system to ensure we meet the challenges of today. Recent improvements include passing the Water Amendment Act, which removes the requirement for riparian restoration projects to get a temporary diversion licence for watering plants, while also ending the unnecessary 10 per cent holdbacks on most water licence transfers, giving Albertans more freedom to water.
Quick facts
- New exemptions:
- Up to 100 cubic metres per source per day for fire prevention and training activities related to firefighting and spill response (water used for active firefighting has long been exempt under the Water Act).
- Up to 1,000 cubic metres per day for water accessed from borrow pits on unoccupied public land in the Green Area, provided there are no fish present and no connection to a wetland or watercourse.
- Up to 100 cubic metres per source per day for bridge and sign washing, and dust control.
- Expanded exemptions:
- Water use from a dugout has been increased to 7,500 cubic metres per year, while dugouts up to 7,500 cubic metres in size may be built with no approval required under the Water Act. These exemptions must only be used for agricultural purposes.
- Annual use from stormwater ponds of up to 7,500 cubic metres with an outflow or up to 15,000 cubic metres with no outflow are now exempt from licensing requirements.
- The wetland construction exemption has increased to 7,500 cubic metres.
- The exemption for water use by temporary camps has increased to 2,500 cubic metres per year.