Canadians waste a lot of water both inside and outside the home. Here are some ways that you can reduce the amount of water you use.
- Fill a two litre jug with water and place it into the tank of your toilet. This will save 2 litres per flush.
- Take shorter showers.
- Fix dripping faucets.
- Lower the water level of your baths.
- Turn the water off, or use a container when brushing your teeth.
- Only use your dishwasher when it is full.
- Lower the water level in your sinks when doing dishes by hand.
- Match water levels with load size in the washing machine, or wash only full loads.
- Use the rain runoff from eaves to water your garden. Perhaps try a rain barrel.
- Let your grass grow a little longer. This shades the ground and reduces evaporation so you won't have to water it as often.
- Water your lawn only in the cool of the morning or evening. This prevents excess evaporation and more water is soaked into the ground.
- Don't let your grass grow too long before cutting. Cuttings of one inch or less fall through the blades of grass to the ground creating a mulch that will reduce evaporation.
Several products are available to help you reduce your water consumption
- Reduced volume or low-flow toilets
- Restricted volume or low-flow shower heads
- Aerators for your faucets
Remember, only 2.5% of the water on earth is fresh water. Over 87% of this is locked into glaciers or polar ice caps. 12.3% is below ground. That leaves only 0.4% on the surface.