Certified Water Managed Sites (WMS)

Helping You Maximise Every Drop of Water

A Certified Water Managed Site (WMS) features an underground irrigation system approved by the City of Calgary for water efficiency. A certified WMS faces fewer restrictions during water use limitations.

Water Managed Sites

Committed to the Responsible Use of Water

A Certified Water Managed Site (WMS) is a property that has an underground irrigation system approved by the City of Calgary for its water efficiency. At Future Green Irrigation, our team includes Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditors (CLIA), a qualification required to complete the certification process for a Water Managed Site, ensuring a seamless in-house experience.

To qualify as a Certified WMS, a property must have an underground irrigation system that uses weather data or on-site environmental sensors to optimize watering schedules. To maintain certification, each site must submit an annual performance report showing a 25% reduction in water use compared to a baseline of an irrigation timer set to water every other day. Additionally, the system must include checks to ensure the safety of the water delivery and measure its performance efficiency.

Thanks to its ongoing commitment to water conservation and efficiency, a Certified WMS faces fewer restrictions during water use restrictions, as outlined in Schedule E of the Water Utility Bylaw. As a new program, certain features and requirements are still evolving.

Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditors (CLIA)

We Have the Expertise and Training to Optimize Water Efficiency

A Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditor (CLIA) certified by the Irrigation Association plays a crucial role in evaluating and improving irrigation systems for landscapes. They are responsible for the certification and maintenance of Water Managed Sites (WMS). Their primary responsibilities include:

System Audits: They assess the efficiency of irrigation systems by measuring water distribution, pressure, and uniformity to identify inefficiencies, leaks, or waste.
Data Collection and Analysis: They gather data from irrigation systems to evaluate performance, including water usage, sprinkler performance, and environmental factors like soil and weather conditions.
Recommendations for Improvements: Based on their assessments, CLIA professionals provide recommendations to optimize irrigation systems, aiming to conserve water, improve plant health, and reduce operating costs.
Compliance and Best Practices: They ensure that irrigation systems meet industry standards and comply with local regulations, helping property owners achieve sustainability goals.
Client Education: They inform clients about proper irrigation practices, water-saving technologies, and system maintenance.

At Future Green Irrigation, our in house CLIA certified specialists can help you promote water efficiency, sustainability, and cost-effective irrigation practices for landscapes.

Required Equipment

Certified Water Managed Sites require specific equipment upgrades for eligibility

A smart controller with remote operability and real-time weather data capabilities
Weather station or a rain sensor or moisture sensor
Leak/flow sensor
Electronically controlled irrigation master valve
A recently inspected and approved Cross Connection Control Device (RP/DCVA)
Billing meter (multi-unit, residential, industrial, commercial, institutional sites only) or
Volume totalizer (single family and duplex properties only)

While not strictly required, we highly recommend using pressure-regulating sprinkler heads for the WMS program. These sprinklers provide the most uniform water distribution across your system, helping to optimize efficiency. Since the program aims for a 25% reduction in annual water usage compared to a baseline, this approach is particularly beneficial.

Upgrading Your Existing System

Is Your Current System Ready for an Upgrade to Qualify for a Water Managed Site (WMS)?

Our Certified Landscape Irrigation Auditors can evaluate your existing system to determine if it’s a good candidate for upgrading to a WMS. They’ll assess the quality of components such as controllers, automatic control valves, sprinkler heads, and backflow prevention devices, all of which are typically upgradeable. However, one of the most crucial factors in improving efficiency is the proper placement and spacing of sprinklers. If we find that the current layout is so suboptimal that upgrading would be cost-prohibitive, we may recommend installing a new system instead.