The average age of the water supply systems in Alberta has fluctuated over the past 25 years. Changes have reflected investment swings, especially large investments since the last ten years. This lowered the average age from 17.8 years in 1996 to 14.0 in 2007. Water supply systems were the third most important public asset in Alberta in 2007, accounting for 10% of the total stock.
As a percentage of estimated useful life, Alberta has tended to track closely to the national average, varying only by a few percentage points either above or under. In 2007, water supply systems in Alberta had reached 38% of their estimated life, compared with 40% nationally.