Question 1

Between my house and the street, who owns the Calgary water line?

Accepted Answer

The City of Calgary draws the line at the service valve, which sits at or near the property line. From that valve to the street, the water main is the City's responsibility. From that valve to your house, including everything inside, the pipe is yours to maintain and repair at your own cost.

The one exception is the water meter: repair costs on private property are the owner's, except for the meter. Everything else on the house side of the service valve, including the supply pipe running under

Question 2

Pressure gauge on my Calgary main reads 90 psi, too high?

Accepted Answer

A reading that high is worth having a plumber look at. We do not publish a pressure figure of our own: the plumber will confirm the reading with their own gauge and tell you what the plumbing code in force in Alberta, the National Plumbing Code of Canada 2020, expects for your system.

Why High Pressure Is a Problem Here

High supply pressure puts extra stress on fixtures, supply hoses and appliance connections. Signs people notice include banging pipes, dripping taps and harsh-feeling faucets

Question 3

Does hard water in Calgary damage a tankless water heater?

Accepted Answer

Calgary's water is genuinely hard, and tankless water heaters feel that more than tank units do. The City of Calgary reports hardness ranging from roughly 141 to 274 mg/L depending on which treatment plant supplies your neighbourhood and the time of year, and that calcium and magnesium can leave scale inside the heat exchanger.

What hard water actually does to a tankless unit

The heat exchanger in a tankless heater brings cold water to temperature almost instantly across a narrow coil or plat

Question 4

Irrigation backflow device in my Calgary yard, who tests it?

Accepted Answer

Irrigation systems connect to your drinking water supply, so the backflow preventer protecting that connection must be tested every year by a tester registered with the City of Calgary. That is not a general plumber doing a favour; it is a specific registration the City requires, and only testers on that list can issue the test report the City accepts.

What the device is and why it matters

A testable cross-connection control device (the formal name for the type used on irrigation systems) sit

Water Supply & Softeners

Between my house and the street, who owns the Calgary water line?

Pressure gauge on my Calgary main reads 90 psi, too high?

Does hard water in Calgary damage a tankless water heater?

Irrigation backflow device in my Calgary yard, who tests it?