While we often think of saving water when the weather’s hot and dry, in fact, it can bring significant benefits year-round – including financial savings!
“We only need about 67 litres of water per day to meet our basic needs, but things like outdated appliances and over-use can lead to consumption far exceeding that,” says Perry MacDonald, City of Wetaskiwin Utilities Manager.
The good news is that saving water is actually pretty simple!
Did you know? Most residential water use happens in the bathroom – 30 per cent from toilets and 35 per cent from showers and baths – so there’s room for some significant savings there! But with 20 per cent of water use happening in the laundry room and 15 per cent in the kitchen, there’s room for savings throughout the home (and we haven’t even mentioned the garden yet!)
So if you’re keen to stem the flow of water in your home – whether for environmental benefits or financial ones, here are a few timely tips from the City of Wetaskiwin, committed to being a wise steward of water:
- Use a shower timer to shorten your shower by just a minute or two – you’ll save more than 500 litres of water per month!
- Consider a water-efficient showerhead. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and can save you at least 3,000 L per month – that’s a LOT of water that doesn’t go down the drain!
- Upgrade older toilets with newer water-efficient models – the household could save 300+ L per day!
- Don’t forget the possibility of leaks. Pop a colour tablet into the toilet tank and if colour seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Fixing it can save more than 4,000 L per month!!
- In the laundry room, run your clothes washer only when full (ditto for the dishwasher in the kitchen).
- When shopping for a new clothes washer, compare resource savings among Energy Star models. Some can save at least 75L per load, and energy too!
- In the kitchen, consider upgrading faucets, refrigerators, air conditioners and ice-makers with water-saving aerators and cooling systems.
- Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap. The City of Wetaskiwin has good, clean water for drinking. Let’s make the most of it!
- While the lawn is likely the last thing you’re thinking about right now, in summer, watering lawns can increase a home’s daily water consumption by up to 50 per cent. However, three centimetres of watering per week is adequate for established lawns. Use a rain gauge, empty tuna can, or even an upside-down Frisbee to measure rainfall on your lawn.
- The City of Wetaskiwin has a water restriction program – watch for notices or make a habit of following it to save even more money on your utility bill.
For more information, visit wetaskiwin.ca or phone the utilities office at 780-361-4453.