A Community Effort Delivering Real Results
The Town of Irricana is pleased to share that the Water Meter Replacement Program is now complete.
This project represents a $262,500 investment in our community, funded entirely through capital grant dollars. No additional costs were placed on local ratepayers to complete this work.
Most importantly, this was a true community-wide effort. Residents coordinated access, worked with contractors, and helped ensure the program was delivered efficiently and on schedule.
A sincere thank you to everyone who took part – your cooperation made the difference.
Why This Matters
This project directly supports Council’s Strategic Plan goal of addressing aging infrastructure, including a
specific focus on reducing the Town’s water loss ratio.
By modernizing our water meters, the Town is now better positioned to:
- Reduce ongoing labour costs by eliminating manual meter reads
- Provide more accurate and timely utility bills
- Identify potential issues earlier, helping prevent system losses
- Manage overall water costs more effectively for all ratepayers
This work builds on recent improvements, including the transition to monthly billing and digital billing
options – all designed to improve transparency and strengthen long-term cost management, with
additional initiatives in development.
Strong Community Participation
The success of this program is best reflected in the numbers.
Out of 368 properties requiring meter replacement, 327 residents took the time to schedule an appointment and support this important initiative – an 89% participation rate.
That level of participation is something our community can be proud of.
Understanding the Remaining 11%
The remaining properties fall into two groups:
- 34 properties where residents participated and booked appointments, but the meter could not be replaced at the time due to site-specific conditions
- 41 properties where no appointment was booked following multiple outreach efforts, including letters, door hangers, and public notices
For those 34 participating properties, the Town will continue working directly with ratepayers to address
site-specific conditions and complete installations.
For those 41 properties that did not respond to the program, the ability to upgrade remains available at any time. Utility customers are encouraged to contact the Town Office to arrange an appointment.
Maintaining Fairness and Consistency Moving Forward
How the Remaining Properties Will Be Managed
As the program moves into ongoing operations, a fair and consistent approach will be applied to the remaining properties.
Properties That Participated but Could Not Be Completed
Manual meter reads will continue at no additional cost while the Town works with property owners to
resolve site-specific issues.
Properties That Did Not Participate
A $15 monthly Non-Radio Meter Service Fee will be applied until a radio-read meter is installed.
If a ratepayer schedules an appointment and installation cannot proceed due to site-specific conditions, the property will be treated as participating and the monthly fee will be removed.
Estimated Usage Where Readings Are Not Available
In situations where a meter reading cannot be obtained, water usage will be estimated at 15 cubic metres per month, reflecting the community average plus a 25% adjustment.
This conservative approach is designed to:
- Reduce the risk of ongoing underbilling
- Avoid large, unexpected catch-up charges
- Ensure that the impacts of non-participation are not shifted onto ratepayers who did participate in the program
When an actual reading becomes available – either through manual readings or a meter replacement –
accounts will be adjusted to reflect actual usage.
A Strong Community Outcome
With nearly 9 out of 10 households participating, this program represents a significant step forward for the Town’s water system.
The result is a more accurate, efficient, and sustainable utility system that benefits the entire community.
Thank you to all ratepayers for your cooperation and support in making this program a success!