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Parks in Edmonton are being irrigated with water drained from the city's outdoor pools, reaping environmental and financial benefits.

Water from City of Edmonton pools, once destined for the sewer system, is helping the city meet new environmental standards.

The city's Water Reuse Program is co-ordinated with the watering operations at local parks, which use recycled pool water as a resource. Nearly two million litres (528,344 gal) of water drained from outdoor municipal swimming pools was used to irrigate parks this year.

According to HazMat Management, drained pool water is dechlorinated, tested and pumped directly into the surrounding parkland or water trucks. The goal is to have an efficient and effective water reuse process, minimize resource use and achieve higher environmental preservation and sustainability standards.

Since Edmonton started the Water Reuse Program three years ago, approximately 20 million litres (5.2 million gal) of water has been recycled from indoor and outdoor pools. The program has decreased water consumption, lowered irrigation costs, reduced sewer system demand and offset drought effects.

In June 2009, Edmonton awarded Water Reuse Program team members with the Charles Labatiuk Award for Environmental Excellence, for demonstrating environmental excellence in innovating, leading and improving how the city does business. The Water Reuse Program is part of Edmonton's Environmental Strategic Plan implemented through Enviso, the city's ISO 14001 environmental management system.