Water Conservation

Water Conservation Basics

Water is essential to our daily lives. Whenever water is used, there is a potential for conservation both inside and outside of your home or business. Fresh water is a limited resource, making water conservation an important factor for the environment. With population growth, expansion of industry, increasing levels of development activity, and the potential for climate change impacts there is increasing pressure placed on the province’s water resources. Whether you are on a municipal or a private domestic water supply, water conservation is a wise practice.

Here are some reasons why you might want to use less water:

  • Save money on your power bills by using less energy to heat and pump water
  • Delay or prevent expansion of costly water and wastewater treatment plants in your community which can save money on taxes
  • Reduce water shortage frequency and impacts
  • Environmental benefits

^ Top of Page

Water Usage

On average, Canadians use approximately 223 litres of water per person per day – making Canada one of the largest per capita water consumers in the world.

Newfoundland and Labrador is the highest per capita residential water consumer in Canada, using approximately 628 litres of water per person per day.

Water Usage per Capita
Source: Statistics Canada, 2013

Water is an important part of our daily lives and we use it for a wide variety of purposes. The majority of indoor water use occurs in the household bathroom at 65%.

Residential Indoor Water Usage
Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada

^ Top of Page

How to Use Less Water

The majority of indoor household water use comes from toilets, washing machines, baths, showers, faucets and leaks. Outdoor water usage for things like watering the grass, washing the driveway, and for recreational uses can also use significant amounts of water. What you can do to save water is fairly simple. There are numerous ways to decrease your water use and help conservation efforts:

  1. Check for Leaks

    Frequently checking for leaks helps to ensure you aren’t using large amounts of water. Toilets are the most common source of water leakage.

  2. Install Water Saving Devices

    Adding water-saving devices to your home or business can help to conserve water. Consider adding:

    • Water faucet aerators
    • Low-flow showerheads
    • Toilet dams
  3. Other simple conservation tips

    Conservation in the bathroom

    The bathroom accounts for the majority of indoor water use. Learn how to check for leaky toilets and other tips to save water.

    • Install water efficient toilets and fixtures.
    • When washing, brushing your teeth or shaving, never let the tap run continuously.
    • Turn off the taps tightly (but gently) so they do not drip.
    • Take shorter showers.
    • Fix leaky faucets and toilets. Even the smallest drip from a worn washer can waste 75 or more litres a day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds.
    • To check for a toilet leak, place a few drops of food coloring or dye test tablets (available at home improvement stores) in the toilet tank. Do not flush; wait 10-15 minutes. If the bowl water changes colour, you have a leak.

    Conservation in the kitchen

    • Take foods out of the freezer early to allow plenty time to thaw rather than running water over it.
    • Keep water in the fridge so you don’t have to run the tap to get cold water.
    • Completely fill the dishwasher before you turn it on. It can use 35-45 litres per cycle.
    • If you wash dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running for rinsing.
    • Don’t let the faucet run while you clean vegetables. Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water.
    • Keep cooking fats, oils and grease out of the drain. They can stick to and block the inside of pipes, which can lead to sewer back-ups and basement flooding.

    Conservation in the laundry room

    • Purchase a high efficiency washing machine.
    • Try to only do laundry when the machine is full.
    • If you need to wash smaller loads, be sure to adjust your washer’s water level settings accordingly.

    Conservation outdoors

    • Deep-soak your lawn, long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots where it will do the most good. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly and tends to encourage shallow root systems.
    • Water in the morning to eliminate evaporation.
    • Adjust sprinklers to water lawns and not driveways or the sidewalk.
    • Avoid watering on windy days.
    • Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Mulch will slow evaporation of moisture and discourage weed growth too.
    • Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks.
    • When washing your car, rather than use a running hose consider using a bucket, a sponge, and a hose with a trigger nozzle.
    • Check garden hoses and connections frequently and keep them drip-free. Leaks outside the house may not seem as bad since they are not as visible, but they can be just as wasteful as leaks inside.

    Conservation during winter

    Typically, water use increases in the summer as we try to meet water demand of lawns, vegetable gardens and flowers. Unlike most provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador uses more water in the winter months compared to the summer. This is mainly due to the risk of freezing water pipes during cold temperatures. Here are some ways you can conserve water during the winter:

    • Drip faucets instead of running water to prevent your pipes from freezing.
    • Collect water in a bucket for flushing the toilet. Showers take longer to heat up in the winter so take advantage of the first few minutes of cold water.
    • Wrap all exposed pipes and insulate hot water pipes to help protect them against bursting.
    • If your pipes do burst, know where your shut off valve is to prevent excessive damage and decrease water usage.
    • Call in a plumber after the first thaw to check your pipes for damage and leaks.
    • Do not use your hose to melt snowbanks. This is an unnecessary waste of water.

    Regardless of the season, it is important to be conscious of the amount of water you’re using. Be sure to follow the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room water conservation tips year round to prevent excessive use of water during all seasons.

  4. Water efficiency for business

    By reducing water consumption you can:

    • Lower operating costs.
    • Enhance your public image by demonstrating your commitment to the environment.
    • Increase your competitiveness by saving money and attracting new loyal costumers.

^ Top of Page

Related Links

Halifax Water Conservation Website
https://www.halifaxwater.ca/water-savings-tips

Toronto Water Conservation Website
https://www.toronto.ca/services-payments/water-environment/how-to-use-less-water/water-efficiency-for-business/

Alberta Water Conservation Website
http://aep.alberta.ca/water/programs-and-services/water-for-life/water-conservation/default.aspx

British Columbia Water Conservation Guide
https://www.obwb.ca/water-conservation-guide-for-bc-now-available/#_blank

Nova Scotia Water Conservation Guide
https://novascotia.ca/nse/water/docs/WaterConservation.pdf

New Brunswick Water Conservation Website
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/departments/elg/environment/content/water/content/water_conservation.html

^ Top of Page

Adobe® Acrobat® Reader software can be used for viewing PDF documents. Download Acrobat® Reader for free.