By Jason Syvixay, BILD Edmonton Metro
What if Edmonton could save $600 million — simply by rethinking how we build the bones of our city? That's exactly what happened when EPCOR, Edmonton's water utility, joined forces with the development industry to modernize design standards and processes to reflect how the city and its residents are evolving.
For Susan Ancel, EPCOR's Senior Principal of Water Strategic Initiatives, the idea wasn't radical — it was necessary. She led the initiative that challenged assumptions, discovering these substantial savings by rightsizing infrastructure to meet modern needs.
Rethinking Growth: From One Million to Two
With Edmonton planning to grow from one to two million people, The City Plan laid out a bold vision: compact, connected communities with a variety of housing types to support diverse lifestyles. One key tool for achieving that vision was the Zoning Bylaw Renewal Initiative, which resulted in one of Canada's most flexible zoning frameworks — paving the way for a wider range of housing options across all neighbourhoods.
But new zoning doesn't just shape buildings. It also requires careful thought about how utilities like EPCOR can support growth and manage critical infrastructure — especially water.
Infrastructure: Overbuilt and Outdated
As Edmonton's water and wastewater utility, EPCOR recognized that past standards were designed primarily for greenfield ("New Communities" or "Developing Areas") developments. These standards no longer reflected how people actually used water — or how cities were evolving.
"We've seen major shifts in water consumption patterns," said Ancel. "Today, residential and commercial customers are using water more efficiently. As a result, much of our existing infrastructure is oversized — it's overbuilt."
For decades, design standards assumed maximum development on every parcel within a given zoning code. This meant developers often faced costly upgrades — even when they weren't needed. There was also little information about which parcels had enough existing capacity for denser development, leading to inefficiencies and lost opportunities.
A New Approach: One Water Planning
To tackle this, EPCOR launched its One Water initiative — a comprehensive review of how water is planned and managed across its full cycle. Working with partners like BILD Edmonton Metro, City of Edmonton Urban Planning teams, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, and the consultant community, EPCOR sought to update design standards to reflect today's realities and tomorrow's ambitions.
"As Edmonton evolves, we needed to adapt too, moving beyond a decades-old design approval structure," Ancel explained. "That meant working directly with industry to redefine a path forward."
The initiative focused on updating standards for: fire flow and hydrant spacing, water consumption and sanitary generation, and stormwater and green infrastructure runoff coefficients. And soon: real-time monitoring technologies will optimize how we design utility systems.
Smarter Fire Protection, Smarter Design
One of the most significant shifts was in fire flow requirements. Previously, fire protection upgrades were tied to zoning, not actual built form. Now, EPCOR and Edmonton Fire Rescue Services use a Fire Underwriters Survey-based approach, aligning hydrant and water main requirements with real-world building practices.
"In many cases," Ancel noted, "the existing water mains were already sufficient. Often, all that was needed was adding a single hydrant — not costly upgrades."
Working closely with Edmonton Fire Rescue Services, EPCOR recalibrated fire flow volumes to reflect updated construction materials and sprinkler systems, and denser development forms, which typically require less water than sprawling, single-family subdivisions.
Making Infill Work
Recent changes have had a particularly strong impact on infill development.
While some mature neighbourhoods are seeing new residents move in, many are still home to fewer people than they were originally designed for. This creates an opportunity to make better use of existing infrastructure that was once built to serve larger populations.
Developers can now design and plan more efficiently, optimizing building materials and layouts to reduce — and in some cases eliminate — the need for costly water main upgrades.
"Supporting growth means finding ways to make infill feasible," said Ancel. "We've made the process more predictable and less expensive — without compromising safety or service."
Bigger Isn't Always Better: A Shift in Philosophy
Ultimately, the Design Standards Modernization project marks a fundamental change in how Edmonton plans its infrastructure.
Instead of automatically building bigger and deeper pipes, EPCOR is working to maximize existing assets — a shift that's both fiscally responsible and environmentally sustainable.
"This kind of innovation is exactly what the real estate development industry has been calling for," said Kalen Anderson, CEO of BILD Edmonton Metro. "Overbuilding infrastructure wastes money and resources. EPCOR's collaborative, forward-thinking approach helps ensure that communities get the infrastructure they need — nothing more, nothing less."
The Big Picture
The result? An estimated $600 million in potential savings in sanitary infrastructure trunk upgrades — achieved not through austerity, but through smart planning, evidence-based decision-making, and collaboration across sectors.
EPCOR's work stands as a model for other cities navigating growth, climate adaptation, and affordability. And it's a reminder that sometimes, the best way forward isn't to build more — it's to build smarter.
Jason Syvixay is the VP, Strategy & Operations for BILD Edmonton Metro. He is a Registered Professional Planner and completing his PhD in Urban and Regional Planning.