Fix a Running Toilet or Dripping Tap Before Calgary’s Nov 4 Water Restrictions

Your home is quietly using water every hour of the day, whether you notice it or not. Most of the time that’s fine. But a toilet that keeps running or a tap that won’t stop dripping is water your home is losing for nothing. Starting November 4, every bit of water Calgary saves is going to count.

Here’s what’s coming, a five-minute check you can do tonight, and when it makes sense to call a plumber.

What’s happening on November 4

The City of Calgary is connecting the new Bearspaw South Feeder Main into the existing water system. To do that safely, the existing feeder main has to be shut down for a while. During that time the City can only distribute about 500 million litres of water a day. [1]

So beginning November 4, city-wide Stage 4 outdoor water restrictions and indoor water conservation will be in place for about four weeks. No outdoor water use is permitted, and the City is asking everyone to save water indoors: [1]

• Run dishwashers and laundry only when full.
• Flush toilets only when needed.
• Take shorter showers. Aim for three minutes.

The City says the project is on track for the new feeder main to be fully operational by the end of the year. [1] The good news: this is a planned step, and a little preparation now makes the four weeks easy.

The five-minute leak check

You don’t need tools for this. You just need a few quiet minutes.

1. The dye test for toilets. Take the lid off the tank and add a few drops of food colouring. Don’t flush. Wait about 10 to 15 minutes, then look in the bowl. If colour shows up in the bowl, water is slipping from the tank into the bowl, usually past a worn flapper or seal. Flush afterward so the dye doesn’t stain.

2. Listen. A toilet that hisses, trickles, or refills on its own when nobody has used it is running. Walk past each bathroom at night when the house is quiet.

3. Read your water meter. Make sure no one is using water: no taps, dishwasher, laundry or humidifier running. Note the reading on your meter, wait about 30 minutes without using any water, then check again. If the numbers moved, water is going somewhere.

4. Check taps and under sinks. Look for drips at the spout and dampness in the cabinet under bathroom and kitchen sinks.

When to call a plumber

Some fixes are simple. Others are worth a professional look. Give us a call if:

• The dye test shows a leak and you’d rather not take apart the tank yourself.
• Your meter moves and you can’t find where the water is going.
• A tap keeps dripping after you’ve closed it firmly.
• You see water stains, soft spots or dampness near a toilet, under a sink or on a ceiling.
• Your toilet is older and you’re thinking about replacing it with a more efficient one.

We’ll find where the water is going first, explain what we see, and then give you your options. No guessing, and no pressure.

The City’s water rebate

If you’re replacing a fixture anyway, the City of Calgary and Green Calgary are running a Home Water Savings Rebate pilot. It can cover up to $150 toward one eligible WaterSense-labelled toilet, bathroom sink faucet or showerhead. [2]

A few things to know before you buy: [2]

• The rebate covers the fixture only. Labour, installation and plumbing services are not eligible.
• Flushometer-valve toilets aren’t eligible.
• The fixture must be purchased and installed on or after August 4, 2026, and installed before you apply.
• It’s one fixture per eligible household, and you’ll need your ENMAX Water Account number and an itemized receipt.
• Applications are open until December 1, 2026, or until funding runs out, whichever comes first.

The rebate is run by the City and Green Calgary, not by Alberta Indoor Comfort. Check the City’s rebate page for full eligibility before you purchase.

Get it sorted before November 4

A running toilet or dripping tap is one of the easiest things to fix ahead of restrictions. If you’d like a hand, call 587-792-1456 or send us a note below and we’ll get back to you.

Sources

1. City of Calgary Newsroom, “Water restrictions take effect Nov. 4 as Bearspaw South Feeder Main enters final steps of construction.” https://newsroom.calgary.ca/water-restrictions-take-effect-nov-4-as-bearspaw-south-feeder-main-enters-final-steps-of-construction/
2. City of Calgary, “Home Water Savings Rebate Program.” https://www.calgary.ca/environment/programs/home-water-savings-rebate-program.html