Friday, June 13, 2014

10 ways to Conserve water at home




After our freezing winter it was a relief to see that we’re expecting a good warm summer. In fact Environment Canada is forecasting above normal temperatures in much of southern New Brunswick. But it seems that our precipitation will be a bit below normal, or “near normal” as Environment Canada puts it.

The forecast got me thinking about water conservation and what a warm sunny summer might mean to our water supply.
 
Whether you’re on municipal water or on a well, water conservation through the summer should be top of mind for everyone, especially since we all use more water during the summer months. And on average we use a lot of water.

It’s estimated that we need about 50 litres of water per person per day (including water for cooking).

According to a 2009 Environment Canada water use survey, New Brunswickers use, on average, 394 litres per person per day. It’s on a par with Newfoundland and Labrador but significantly higher than other provinces.  It seems we’re a little frivolous with our water, but less so when we have to pay for our consumption. The per capita water consumption in communities with water metres was 60% lower than in communities without water metres.

Whether you’re on a water metre or not there are all sorts of easy ways to conserve water, in the yard and in the house.

10 ways to Conserve water at home:

  1. Let Mother Nature water your lawn. Or if you can’t resist the sprinkler water your lawn only during the coolest times of the day so you limit water loss through evaporation, and be sure to position sprinklers carefully so you’re not watering the driveway. Keep in mind that oscillating sprinklers can lose up to 50% of their water through evaporation.
  2. Don’t let the hose run, use a squeeze pistol on your hose instead.
  3. Don’t mow your grass too low. Keeping your lawn a little taller helps it retain moisture.
  4. Use a rain barrel under a downspout to capture rain water for your watering needs. They’re getting popular again so are easy to find at hardware stores.
  5. In the house, install a low flow shower head (can cut your shower water use in half) and keep your showers to under five minutes.
  6. Install aerators on your faucets (they can cut sink water use by up to 50%).
  7. In the kitchen, use your dishwasher but only run it when it’s full. A dishwasher is a more efficient use of water than sink washing. For things that need to be washed by hand fill the sink just halfway.
  8. Don’t leave the tap running while you brush your teeth and turn it off while you’re washing your hands too.
  9. Keep a jug of drinking water in the fridge rather than letting your tap run to get cold water.
  10. Choose water efficient appliances like front-loading washing machines and low flow toilets.

Water conservation will become a habit if you’re mindful of your water use each day and treat water like the precious resource that it is. 

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Water is an important resource, and not too many realize the necessary steps taken for it to be delivered to the people in the safest and most efficient way possible. By conserving water, we are assured that the water supply will not suffer, or that we will not overdraw from the natural sources. Every little bit helps in conserving water, so these tips should be taken to heart by all. Thanks for sharing!

Verna Griffin @ Axeon Water Technologies

Unknown said...

Water is very important. But sadly, the supply of water that can be used by people is limited. That’s why it’s important for everyone to know that fact, and how they can help conserve water in their own ways. And I hope through this blog to spread awareness, everyone will have an idea on how to use water wisely. Thanks for sharing!

Lorenza Coon @ Central Basin

Judith Harvey said...

People should really be made aware of ways to conserve water. Although we have many resources to get water from, if we are using it in a careless and incautious way, a shortage of it won't be a distant possibility. Conserving and preserving water is badly needed if we are really concerned about the future of our planet. Thanks for sharing such helpful information, Bridget! All the best to you!

Judith Harvey @ Aqua Perfect Sac

Alex said...

Keep it up!! You have done the nice job having provided the latest information.
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