A message from 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.
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.
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."
Read the full story to learn more.