Every Drop Counts

Use less, save more

When we think of climate change, we think of carbon pollution from waste, emissions and energy-guzzling appliances. Rarely does the clean, fresh water that flows from our taps get cited as a culprit. But the process of treating, purifying and delivering water to our homes requires a vast amount of energy.

Reducing water use is an effective way to conserve
a limited natural resource and save energy.

“Calgary residents are consuming less water today than they did in the 1980’s, despite a 50 per cent increase in population,” says Stewart Peters, Team Lead, Residential Program with the City of Calgary. And Edmonton was named Canada’s largest sustainable city by Corporate Knight’s magazine last year, due in part to its low rate of water consumption.

But that doesn’t mean we can rest on our laurels. Canada still has one of the highest per-capita levels of water consumption in the world, second only to the United States. With a nationwide average of 355 litres per person per day, there is a lot we can do to catch up to those countries on the other end of the scale, including France (150 litres per person per day), and Israel (135 litres per person per day).

Not only is water our most important resource, reducing water consumption is an effective way to save money and energy and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

“We’re living in an area where the amount of water we have available to us is limited and when we exceed that it’s not sustainable,” says Peters. “However, we’ve seen really good progress in the community and it’s just a matter of keeping that water-wise behavior up.”

Here are five simple ways to cut back:

1. Install a water meter. One of the easiest and most effective ways to conserve water, meters enable customers to see exactly how much water they’re using. As a result, drips and leaks are caught quickly and more attention is paid to how much water we use when showering, brushing our teeth or watering our lawns.

2. Make wise washing machine choices. An ENERGY STAR® rated clothes washer reduces water consumption by 40 per cent and saves the average family of four up to $123 a year on their water and energy bills. In addition to these savings, you could qualify for a $100 rebate from the Government of Alberta for installing an eligible machine.

3. Consider a tankless water heater. Generating hot water accounts for 30 per cent of the average household’s natural gas consumption. Going tankless conserves hot water by producing it only when it’s needed. Albertans who replace their current system with a qualifying model could be eligible for up to a $300 provincial rebate when they participate in the ecoENERGY Retrofit program.

4. Switch to low-flush/dual-flush toilets. Toilets manufactured before 1990 use more than 20 litres per flush. New low-flush / dual-flush toilets use only six litres of water or less per flush. Replacing old toilets can reduce annual household consumption by some 80,000 litres of water and save big on water bills. Some municipalities in Alberta offer rebates on low-flush/dual-flush toilets. Click here for more info.

5. Invest in energy efficient shower heads. Showers account for about 22 per cent of total household water use. Starting at just $8 for a new shower head, this small investment can cut your hot water use by more than 35 per cent and deliver payback in just a matter of months.