The Town of Cochrane has officially secured a consumptive water licence, the final piece of its long-term water strategy. This milestone ensures the Town can draw the necessary volume from the Bow River to meet community needs through 2055 and beyond.
“This is a huge achievement for Cochrane and the result of nearly two decades of careful planning, partnerships and innovation,” said Mayor Jeff Genung. “It’s a story worth sharing with our community. This milestone ensures we can continue to plan confidently for years to come.”
The journey began in 2006, when Alberta placed a moratorium on new water licences in southern river basins. Since then, municipalities have only been able to secure rights through transfers or trades, sparking Cochrane’s pursuit of a long-term solution.
“As a town, we’ve been working behind the scenes for years to find the best path forward,” said Drew Hyndman, Executive Director of Development & Infrastructure Services. “Partnerships have been key to making this possible, and our community’s commitment to conserving water has been equally important.”
Cochrane’s leadership in water conservation helped pave the way. In 2023 and 2024, the community used just 65% of its existing licence, thanks to tiered water rates, leak detection programs, and strong public stewardship.
A pivotal step came through a partnership with the Girl Guides of Canada, in which the Town exchanged site servicing for a non-consumptive licence from Camp Jubilee. The deal strengthened future supply while supporting youth programming.
Now, with the consumptive licence secured, Cochrane is equipped to support a population beyond 47,000 while continuing to return most water used back to the river.
“Thanks to these efforts, the licences we’ve secured will meet our needs through 2055 and with continued conservation and smart management, could serve our community for many more years after that,” Hyndman added.
For more information on Cochrane’s 25-year water strategy, visit cochrane.ca/waterstrategy.
