Residential

In 2001, the average Canadian used 335 litres of fresh water for daily domestic use. This is comparable to 1999 data that indicated 343 litres per person per day was the average. Compare that to 149 litres in the United Kingdom and 128 litres in Germany. Water use in the home can be broken down this way:

Showers and baths 35 per cent
Toilet flushing 30 per cent
Laundry 20 per cent
Kitchen and drinking 10 per cent
Cleaning 5 per cent

These figures do not include outdoor water uses that are seasonal in nature in Canada, but can be substantial, like watering lawns and gardens that can increase daily domestic use by up to 50 per cent.

Here are a few suggestions for homeowners to conserve water:

Indoors

Outdoors

Leak Detection and Repair

Leaks and related water losses might seem insignificant, but a dripping faucet leaking one drop per second can add up to 25 litres per day or more than 10,000 litres per year. Leaks not only waste water and money, they can also pose a hazard to human safety and property (i.e. corrosion, accidents caused by slippery surfaces), particularly in workplace settings. Leak detection and repair programs should cover all water uses and connections, including meters, water distribution lines, connections for plumbing fixtures, appliances, and landscape irrigation systems.

You can quantify visible leaks by using a standard household measuring container and a stopwatch. Here’s a guideline: one drip per second equals about 25 litres per day; five drips per second (which amounts to a steady stream) equals about 151 litres per day.

The American Water Works Association’s “Water Wiser” Drip Calculator (www.subwaterco.com/wwdripcalc.htm) can help you measure and estimate the amount of water wasted due to leaks. Simply multiply the number calculated by 3.78 to change from U.S. gallons to litres.

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Toilets

Toilets are typically the largest user of water in the home. On average, each person in the household will flush a toilet five times per day. Old toilets (pre-1950) use up to 26 litres per flush. Toilets manufactured between the 1950s and the 1980s typically use 20 litres per flush. Improvements in water efficiency began in the 1980’s as a result of refinements in the design of conventional gravity toilets, new fixture designs and many state and federal initiatives in the United States to promote water conservation. In 1994 the United States passed the Energy Policy Act to mandate that all toilets sold, or imported into the United States be low-volume fixtures that use no more than 1.6 U.S. gallons per flush (six litres). Australia, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Singapore also have standards for low-volume fixtures. Canada does not currently have standards for volume flush requirements for toilets.

There are four ways to reduce water use by toilets. These include:

Leak repair measures (replacement of deteriorated flapper valves and valve seals, worn or broken ball cocks, refill valves, lift chains, handle rods)
Installing retrofit devices to reduce flush volume on standard flush toilets (typically use displacement devices such as bottles, bags or bladders to displace water for flushing, or toilet dams)
Installing low-flow or low-volume toilets (using six litres or less)
Installing waterless or composting toilets (require no water to flush)

Leaks in gravity-tank toilets are commonly detected using dye tablets or household food colouring. The dye can be placed inside the toilet tank, and usually within 10 to 15 minutes, coloured water will appear in the bowl if there is a leak.

Want more information on toilets? Visit these websites:

Want to repair your own toilet? Here’s how:

www.toiletology.com/index.shtml

These sites can tell you which low-flow toilet might be right for you:

www.terrylove.com/crtoilet.htm
www.cmhc.ca/publications/en/rh-pr/tech/02-124-e.html

Want to know which low-flow toilets are good performers? The Maximum Performance (MaP™) Testing of Popular Toilet Models site has studies dating back to December 2003 available at: http://www.cwwa.ca/freepub_e.asp#toilet

The plumbing industry is introducing new technologies and toilets that reduce effective flush volumes below toilets already considered "low-flush" (6 litres or less). "High-efficiency toilets" (HET) are defined as a fixture that flushes at 20% below the 6.0 litre per flush maximum, equating to a maximum 4.8 litres per flush. Click here for more information on High Efficiency Toilets

Unified North American Requirements For Toilet Fixtures (UNAR)
To learn more about this new proposal, check out the following:
www.cuwcc.org/Uploads/committee/UNAR_Description.pdf

Two concerns are cited when asked why people are reluctant to install water-efficient toilets in their homes and businesses:

The perception that water-efficient toilets do not perform well, (the MaP studies and updates listed above address this concern), and
The perception that water-efficient toilets do not provide enough water to adequately transport waste through drainlines resulting in blockages.

This report addresses the second concern by looking at the effect of water-efficient toilets on drainline carry distances.
http://www.cwwa.ca/pdf_files/Drainline%20Report%20mar%203,%2005.pdf

There has been little research completed on "commercial" toilets (i.e. flushometer bowl and valve combinations). Read about a recently completed report that looked at mixing different flushometer bowls and valves and whether performance or water savings were affected.
http://www.cwwa.ca/pdf_files/Flushometer%20Valve-Bowl%20Report%20May%202005.pdf

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Showers

The quality and efficiency of low-volume showerheads has improved greatly since the mid-1980s when low-volume fixtures were first introduced. Standard showerheads can use between 10 and 30 litres per minute at 80 pounds per square inch (p.s.i.) of pressure. Current low-volume showerheads use 9.5 litres per minute at 80 p.s.i. Low-volume showerheads use a mix of air and water to provide the effect of wetness over a greater surface area. Some showerheads use increased flow velocity to offset the reduction in water volume; still others use a narrower spray area than standard showerheads.

Studies show that the average shower lasts 8.2 minutes and uses 65 litres of water. Depending on the number of people in the household, and the number of times they shower, this can add up to a lot of water used. This is especially so in athletic facilities where showers can be in constant use. Reducing the amount of water used during a shower also reduces the amount of energy required to heat the water.

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Faucets

Low-volume faucets use a maximum 9.5 litres at 80 p.s.i. Kitchen faucets normally need higher flows for filling pots and basins. Bathroom faucets used mostly for hand washing require smaller volumes. Some existing high-volume faucets can be retrofitted with aerators and restrictors to reduce flow rates. Water utilities will often include aerators and restrictors for homes when they are developing residential retrofit programs.

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Meters

Meters can be used as an incentive to conserve water. Meters provide the homeowner or business owner with an accurate account of how much water they use. Water meters to measure water use in the home/business are not mandatory in Alberta. Utility company figures show that un-metered residences tend to use more water than those on meters. When municipalities have introduced water meters (switching from flat rate pricing to volumetric pricing), water demand dropped. Meters provide indirect water savings by telling the homeowner how much water is being used, identifies opportunities to reduce unnecessary water uses, and to identifies leaks and water losses. Learn to read your meter!

EPCOR explains how to read a water meter on their website.

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Appliances

The two appliances that use the most water in the home are the clothes washing machine and the dishwasher. Portable humidifiers, water coolers, hot tubs, etc., also use water but none of these devices consistently uses as much water as the clothes washer or dishwasher.

High-efficiency residential clothes washers use an average of 100 litres of water per 3.6 kg load compared to washers from the 1990s that used up to 208 litres for the same load. Washing machines built in the 1980s may use even more water. The design of residential clothes washers is changing. Consumers can choose between conventional, high-volume, top-loading washers, or more energy-efficient, and water-efficient vertical-axis washers (also known as tumble washers). Most European countries use high-efficiency, low water volume, vertical-axis washers. There are no Canadian standards for maximum water use for clothes washers.

Interested in purchasing a new water-efficient washing machine but don't know where to start? You may want to view the list the City of Toronto has developed for their residents taking part in their "Wash 'n' Save" washing machine rebate program. All of the water-efficient washing machines in their program were selected for efficient water and energy consumption as rated by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency and the EnergyStar program.

The list of retailers named in Toronto's list will be different for Alberta. Your local appliance retailer can assist you to determine if washing machine models identified in Toronto's list are available here, or if model numbers may have changed.

NOTE: The Government of Alberta does not provide rebates for Alberta residents for water-efficient appliances.

Consumers can also change their practices to get the most benefit from their current clothes washer. These include:

Wash full loads only.
Use the least amount of water for washers that have variable water settings.
Pretreat stains to avoid the need for a second wash.
Use short wash cycles for lightly soiled loads, since they tend to use less water than permanent press or normal cycles.
Check hoses for cracks that can lead to leaks.

Residential water-efficient dishwashers use about 26 litres of water per load. Water requirements for dishwashers will vary according to the model of dishwasher and the settings available for washing. Water-efficient dishwashing practices may contribute more to water savings than purchasing a new dishwasher.

Homeowners should:

Wash full loads only.
Scrape off food with a utensil or napkin, not water.
Avoid pre-rinsing dishes except in cases of sticky or burned on food.
Load the dishwasher so water can reach all surfaces of the items being washed; incorrect loading increases the need to rewash dishes.
Use the shortest cycle for lightly soiled loads. Using a setting that uses more water will not clean the dishes any better and will waste water.

Canadian Water and Wastewater's Communique - describes a new national initiative to establish a water efficiency labelling scheme tentatively named Waterstar.

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Landscape Water Use

July is Smart Irrigation Month!

Together, The Alberta Chapter of the Irrigation Association (ACIA) and Alberta Environment promote proper design, installation and maintenance of irrigation systems for residential and commercial use. Thinking of installing an irrigation system for your home, but don't know where to go for information? The ACIA has a website where Albertans can access information on irrigation and identify companies that meet ACIA certification requirements for design, installation and maintenance of residential and commercial systems.

Water demand increases during the summer when people are tending to lawns and gardens. Water utilities are often forced to restrict outdoor water uses during hot, dry weather to ensure they maintain an adequate supply of water for human consumption, to maintain adequate water pressure throughout the distribution system, and for fire protection. There are a number of factors that influence residential water use for landscape irrigation. These include:

Climate
Amount of natural rainfall
The price of water
The quest for “the perfect lawn”

Maintaining lush, green lawns and gardens leads to excessive water use (increasing costs), adds to pollution from lawn chemicals and fertilizers, and requires time, labour, and energy to maintain these areas. Several alternatives to this way of gardening are rapidly becoming popular, including:

Natural landscaping – uses plants naturally hardy for the climatic zone they are in and need only rainwater to maintain their appearance. Restoring native landscapes in residential yards, community properties, roadsides and other areas is becoming an accepted practice.
Xeriscaping – a gardening concept that emphasizes water conservation and protecting the environment. This includes ensuring proper planning, soil analysis, appropriate plant selection, use of mulches, and proper maintenance to ensure continuing appearance.

Watering too often and for too long is the largest source of landscape water waste. Poor watering practices are all too common during the summer months. Watering sidewalks, driveways, roadways, and other non-turf areas wastes water and contributes to pollution by carrying chemicals, fertilizers and other pollutants directly to sewers. Problems with irrigation systems include: poor maintenance resulting in leaks, inefficient watering (by not being properly directed to turf areas), or improperly timed so watering occurs in the hottest part of the day. You should water in the early part of the morning when winds tend to be light, temperatures cool and humidity is higher.

Rain Harvesting

Rain harvesting captures and diverts rainwater. Most rainwater can be considered a lost resource because it simply runs off hard surfaces like roofs, sidewalks, driveways and patios. Albertans are using rain harvesting to water lawns and gardens, but in some arid or island countries rainwater may be the only source of potable water. Japan stores rainwater in large cisterns and use it as a back-up source for firefighting.

Typically rainwater is collected from rooftops and is diverted into barrels (either plastic or wood) or large storage tanks. The amount of rainwater collected from a rooftop can be significant. A 1,000 square foot rooftop (93 m2) can catch 568 litres of water from a rainfall of just 6 millimetres (one-quarter of an inch).

Some simple things to keep in mind when setting up your rain harvesting system:

Use a tight-fitting, light-blocking lid to keep out insects, animals, and children and to prevent the growth of algae in the water;
Add a screen to keep leaves and other debris out of the water;
Use an overflow device to direct excess water away from your home’s foundation when the barrel is full;
Check and clean gutters, downspouts, and barrel overflows on a regular basis to ensure they are not blocked;
DO NOT DRINK THIS WATER! Water must be treated before it is consumed.

If you want to make your own rain barrel, make sure it was used to hold food-grade materials only, and not a chemical that may cause harm to you or your plants.

Where can I get information on making my own rain barrel? Check out this site:
dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/PI/pdf/covington-rain-barrels.pdf

Where can I purchase a plastic rain barrel? Rain barrels can normally be found or ordered through your local garden centre.

For residents in and around Calgary, visit the City of Calgary’s home page at: www.calgary.ca, then search for “rain barrels”. A number of links come up including a link to local suppliers.

For residents in and around Edmonton, visit the Edmonton Rain Barrel Project at www.egt.ca

Guidance on The Use of Rainwater Tanks
Learn about rainwater tank water quality in the Australian National Environmental Health Forum Monographs, Water Series No. 3, “Guidance on the Use of Rainwater Tanks” by David Cunliffe. 1998. This document is available online: www.ircsa.org/factsheets/Cunliffe.pdf

Want more information on rain harvesting? Check out these sites:

Texas Guide To Rainwater Harvesting

The International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association (IRCSA)

Article from Landscape Architecture Magazine “Rainwater Harvesting”

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Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping, or water-wise landscaping, is a relatively new concept that originated in the hot, dry regions of the United States. Xeriscaping incorporates seven key principles that promote quality landscapes while saving water and protecting the environment.

Proper planning and design
Soil analysis
Appropriate plant selection
Practical turf areas
Efficient irrigation
Use of mulches
Appropriate maintenance

Xeriscape landscapes often evoke images of rock and sand, with little in the way of lush vegetation. In fact, there are many plants Albertans can use that have very low water demand and need very little maintenance to provide lasting beauty throughout the growing season.

Here are several good reference sources available for prairie gardeners who want to learn more about xeriscapes.

Suggested reading

Williams, Sara. Creating the Prairie Xeriscape: Water Efficient, Low Maintenance Gardening. University of Saskatchewan Press. 1997.

Benett, Jennifer. Dry-Land Gardening: A Xeriscape Guide For Dry-Summer Cold-Winter Climates. Firefly Press. 1998.

Knopf, John. The Xeriscape Flower Garden: A Water wise Guide For The Rocky Mountain Region. Johnson Press. 1991.

Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development has published a comprehensive guide titled, Alberta Yards and Gardens: What to Grow which looks at what grows best in Alberta. This 236-page book provides the information you need to successfully grow ornamental trees and shrubs, small fruits and berries, flowers, vegetables, herbs and even water plants.

For more information on the book and how to order, visit:
www.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex75?opendocument
Reference: Agdex 200/32-1. Price $15.00.

"A new 2005 edition of "Trees and Shrubs for the Prairies" is available through the publications section of Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association (LANTA) website. This 52 page guide featuring over 100 full colour photos of Prairie hardy plants is an excellent visual reference for Prairie gardeners. The booklet includes symbols to identify plants that are "water wise" (drought tolerant). Visit http://www.landscape-alberta.com/public.html and scroll down to the publication title. Prices as listed."

In addition to these books, your local greenhouses and garden centres can help you with appropriate planning, tools, ideas, and plant selection.

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Wasteful Practices

Many communities in the United States, Australia and elsewhere have introduced restrictions to curb wasteful water practices, particularly outdoors. These include:

Prohibiting runoff of potable water into gutters, sidewalks, streets and other non-landscaped areas;
Prohibiting washing vehicles in driveways;
Prohibiting the washing of driveways, sidewalks, patios, and other non-landscaped areas with potable water;
Ensuring irrigation systems are equipped with rain sensors and valves that automatically shut down the irrigation system when it is raining;
Penalizing homeowners who have leaky hoses, nozzles, taps, irrigation sprinkler heads, etc.;
Irrigating narrow strips of vegetation with soaker hoses rather than oscillating sprinkler systems;
Mandating the time of day when lawns can be watered (early morning/late evening and only when winds are light);
Mandating the times when decorative water fountains are operating, especially during times of drought;
Mandating decorative fountains use non-potable water for their operation and/or have recirculating systems to conserve water.

Not only do these restrictions conserve valuable water resources, they can also prevent pollutants from ending up in water sources.

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