Wastewater management can be complex, especially for businesses. So, we’ve done the hard work for you and have outlined how industrial or commercial businesses can reduce their wastewater bills, as they represent a high operational cost while offering an opportunity for savings. In Canada, particularly, wastewater charges can be a substantial line item on utility bills, particularly for companies with high water usage, such as manufacturing plants, hotels, commercial facilities, and food processing.
Depending on location, wastewater fees include a fixed charge based on meter size plus a volumetric component tied to water consumption, which means the more water your business uses, the more it will pay in wastewater treatment and disposal costs. In Calgary, for example, business customers’ and service charges are determined by the size of their water meter. Still, according to the City’s website, the average regular meter business customer’s combined water, wastewater, and stormwater rate and service charge increased by 7.20 percent. This works out to $104.21 per month on an average monthly bill of $1,552.24.
In Ottawa, the Ottawa City Council approved a 4.4 percent overall increase for water, wastewater, and stormwater rates in the 2025 budget. In Montreal, over the next 15 years, the city will have to spend an estimated $5 billion to properly treat the wastewater system. Wastewater is on the radar across the country.
According to the Government of Canada, by 2030, the goal is to improve water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping and minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse globally. Therefore, as the country is tightening environmental standards, viewing wastewater reduction not as a compliance burden but as a leverage point for competitive advantage, lowering operating expenses, and improving environmental performance, it is also strategic.
Understanding What You Are Paying For
In Canada, most cities calculate wastewater fees based on water consumption, but with subtle differences, such as some provinces only bill wastewater on the lower of actual usage or the winter average, recognizing that outdoor water use (like irrigation) doesn’t return to the sewer.
To better understand the consumption and saving possibilities, businesses can invest in wastewater audits to identify where water is used and where it’s wasted. Some cities or provinces can even provide subsidized audit opportunities where companies, if qualified, can assess current water flows, inefficiencies, and opportunities for improvements.
| Wastewater Incentives | |
| Canada Wide | Clean Water and Wastewater Fund Program |
| Ontario | Municipal incentives (audit) |
| Alberta | For Municipalities (audit) |
Industries and large companies know that a leaking cooling tower, an inefficient rinse cycle on production equipment, maintenance gaps, or outdated plumbing fixtures in employee restrooms can inflate wastewater costs. To avoid surprises, real-time monitoring systems (smart meters and water valves, for example) enable businesses to spot anomalies early and optimize usage actively instead of reactively. The audit can help to identify which changes would be effective.
Technology and Infrastructure
Once inefficiencies are identified, investing in technology upgrades becomes one of the most effective pathways to long-term savings. Whether retrofitting plumbing fixtures, optimizing cooling and processing systems, or integrating water reuse technologies, these upgrades reduce the volume of freshwater entering your operations, and consequently the wastewater volume exiting them.
Some possibilities that work for various niches are:
- Replacing older faucets, toilets, and valves with water-efficient alternatives can cut water usage significantly (from 6 gallons per flush to 1.28 gallons or less), reducing both water procurement and wastewater charges.
- Shifting from single-pass to recirculating cooling systems can reduce water intake and effluent discharge.
- Early detection of leaks and automating systems that adjust flows based on actual demand prevent wasted water and unnecessary discharge.
- Installing a separate water meter for irrigation systems to avoid paying sewer charges on water that doesn’t enter the sewer system.
- Water recycling: Collecting rainwater to reuse (through barrels or outdoor watering), implementing the circular economy principles.
For businesses with higher process water needs, technologies such as greywater systems (which treat and reuse non-potable water) and smart valves that regulate flow, as we said before, can significantly cut reliance on fresh municipal water, which directly lowers wastewater billing. The earlier you find out, the earlier you save.
Reuse and Recycle to Save
Facilities that treat and reuse wastewater internally reduce the volume discharged to municipal systems, minimizing, at the same time, fees tied to that discharge. Treated water, for example, can be reused in cooling systems, sanitation processes, or irrigation, effectively closing the loop on internal water usage.
Advanced wastewater treatment systems, such as membrane technologies, ion exchange, and nanofiltration, allow businesses to meet or exceed discharge requirements while capturing water for reuse. Although these systems require upfront capital, many organizations recuperate investment quickly through reduced utility bills and operational efficiencies.
However, the technology boost needs to be followed by the company’s values. Training staff to recognize water waste, empowering facility managers to enforce prevention policies, and integrating water goals into corporate sustainability plans all contribute to lasting behavioural change. When employees understand how their simple actions, such as shutting a valve, fixing a drip, or reporting a malfunction, can impact both the environment and the business’s bottom line, conservation becomes a habit and part of everyday operations.
Reducing wastewater isn’t only about lowering costs. It also mitigates regulatory risk, prepares businesses for future tightening of wastewater standards (as it’s already happening across the country), and enhances resilience to water scarcity and climate challenges. By understanding the drivers of wastewater costs, businesses can turn what was once a fixed expense into a source of savings and a competitive differentiation.
Wastewater Companies in Canada
AWC Water
Aquasan
Valence Water Inc.
Reviewing commercial water treatment options and costs
Looking to reduce your water costs? Check our Water Hub, which covers a wide range of water efficiency tips for both homes and businesses. EnergyRates.ca can also help you review and reduce your utility costs beyond water usage. Our experienced team of energy consultants can support you in comparing plans for your commercial, large commercial or industrial operations.
In addition to lower bills, EnergyRates.ca can also help businesses with corporate sustainability solutions, including Carbon Accounting, RECs and Carbon Offsets, and VPPA information.
Contact us or call us at 1-855-635-9608 for a custom quote based on your energy needs.
