From source to sink
Where Canmore water comes from
A plain-language tour of the lakes, rivers, or wells that feed Canmore, the plants that clean the water, and how it reaches kitchen taps. Lab grades for hardness, lead, and pH live on the water quality page.
On the map
Where Canmore water lives
Source waters and treatment plants pinned from published utility names. Open a pin below for the full OpenStreetMap view.
- CityCanmore
Municipal service area
- Treatment plantCanmore Water Treatment Plant (Spray Lakes Road / former Pumphouse No. 2)
Approximate pin near Canmore (exact plant coordinates pending)
- Treatment plantPumphouse No. 1 (downtown wells)
Approximate pin near Canmore (exact plant coordinates pending)
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Pins are approximate for orientation, not legal survey points.
Deep dive for households
Canmore drinking water starts as a mix of surface water and wells. The named sources on the utility record are Rundle Forebay (Spray Lakes / Kananaskis via TransAlta canals), Shallow groundwater aquifer beneath downtown Canmore (hydrologically connected to Bow River). That is the water that eventually reaches kitchen taps after treatment, not a separate bottled brand.
Canmore uses more than one treatment plant (Canmore Water Treatment Plant (Spray Lakes Road / former Pumphouse No. 2); Pumphouse No. 1 (downtown wells)). Utilities often run plants in parallel so different neighbourhoods can be served, or so one plant can cover for another during maintenance. Canmore Water Treatment Plant (Spray Lakes Road / former Pumphouse No. 2): Filters Rundle Forebay water with chlorine, gravity filtration, and UV. New plant online spring 2026 replacing the 40-year-old pumphouse. Pumphouse No. 1 (downtown wells): Chlorination of north-of-highway well supply; underground reservoir storage.
After treatment, water moves through pumps, storage, and underground mains to reach streets and buildings. Serves Canmore plus MD of Bighorn neighbours (Harvie Heights, Dead Man's Flats, Lac des Arcs). North of TransCanada Highway generally wells; south/central from Rundle Forebay.
One detail that makes Canmore water feel local: Canmore does not take potable water directly from the Bow River; Spray Lakes hydro storage feeds the Rundle Forebay that supplies most of town. Lab grades for hardness, lead, and pH sit on the city water quality page; this overview is about the route the water travels.
Where it starts
Mixed surface and groundwater
A blend of surface water and wells, depending on the neighbourhood or season.
Research confidence: high
Named source waters
- Rundle Forebay (Spray Lakes / Kananaskis via TransAlta canals)
- Shallow groundwater aquifer beneath downtown Canmore (hydrologically connected to Bow River)
Treatment plants
These are the buildings that filter and disinfect water before it enters city pipes.
Canmore Water Treatment Plant (Spray Lakes Road / former Pumphouse No. 2)
Filters Rundle Forebay water with chlorine, gravity filtration, and UV. New plant online spring 2026 replacing the 40-year-old pumphouse.
Pumphouse No. 1 (downtown wells)
Chlorination of north-of-highway well supply; underground reservoir storage.
How it reaches your street
Serves Canmore plus MD of Bighorn neighbours (Harvie Heights, Dead Man's Flats, Lac des Arcs). North of TransCanada Highway generally wells; south/central from Rundle Forebay.