Water – Dos and Don'ts

1. Individuals can do something about conserving and using water wisely!

Surrounded by seemingly unlimited freshwater resources, Canadians are the world's most wasteful water users. In reality, our supplies of clean, usable water are limited, and we must learn to use them more wisely if we are to continue to enjoy the benefits they provide. Water conservation begins at home, and you can do your share by observing the following DOs and DON'Ts in and around the house.

What better place to start to use water wisely than in our own homes. It's where we spend most of our time and where we have the most control over how things are done.

In the kitchen

• Use an aerator and/or a water flow-reducer attachment on your tap to reduce your water usage.
• Always turn taps off tightly so they do not drip.
• Promptly repair any leaks in and around your taps. (One leak can waste several thousand litres of water per year.)
• When hand-washing dishes, never run water continuously. Wash dishes in a partially filled sink and then rinse them using the spray attachment on your tap.
• If you have an electric dishwasher, use it only to wash full loads, and use the shortest cycle possible. Many dishwashers have a conserver/water-miser cycle.
• When cleaning fruit and vegetables, never do so under a continuously running tap. Wash them in a partially filled sink and then rinse them quickly under the tap.
• When boiling vegetables, save water by using just enough to cover them and use a tightly fitting lid.
• Keep a bottle of drinking water in your refrigerator instead of running your tap until the water gets cool each time you want some water. Do not forget to rinse the container and renew the water every two to three days.

In the bathroom

About 65% of indoor home water use occurs in our bathrooms, and toilets are the single greatest water users.

• When washing or shaving, partially fill the sink and use that water rather than running the tap continuously. (This saves about 60% of the water normally used.) Use short bursts of water to clean razors.
• When brushing your teeth, turn the water off while you are actually brushing instead of running it continuously. Then use the tap again for rinsing and use short bursts of water for cleaning your brush. (This saves about 80% of the water normally used.)
• Always turn taps off tightly so they do not drip.
• Promptly repair any leaks in and around taps.
• Use aerators and/or water flow-reducer devices on all your taps.
• Use either low-flow shower heads or adjustable flow-reducer devices on your shower heads. (They reduce flow by at least 25%.)
• Take short showers – turn off the water while you are soaping and shampooing and then rinse off quickly. Some shower heads have a shut-off lever that allows you to maintain the water pressure and temperature when you stop the flow.
• If you still prefer bathing, avoid overfilling the tub.
• Reduce water usage by about 20% by placing a weighted plastic bottle filled with water in the water tank of your toilet. Low-cost "inserts" for the toilet tank are an alternative to plastic bottles. With a toilet insert, a family of four could save 45 000 litres of water per year. Toilet inserts are available at most hardware and plumbing supply stores.
• You can reduce water usage by 40% to 50% by installing low-flush toilets.
• Flush your toilet only when really necessary. Never use the toilet as a garbage can to dispose of cigarette butts, paper tissues, etc.
• Check regularly for toilet tank leaks into the toilet bowl by putting a small amount of food colouring into the tank and observing whether it spreads to the bowl without flushing. Repair leaks promptly. Ensure that the float ball is properly adjusted so that the tank water level does not exceed the height of the overflow tube. Also, periodically examine whether the plunge ball and flapper valve in the tank are properly "seated", and replace parts when necessary.
• Regularly check for leaks at the base of your toilet and have any promptly repaired.
• Never flush garbage of any kind down the toilet. Household cleaners, paints, solvents, pesticides, and other chemicals can be very harmful to the environment. And paper diapers, dental floss, plastic tampon holders, etc., can create problems at sewage treatment plants.
• Locate your water meter and periodically record the reading late in the evening and again early the next morning between any water use. Then compare the readings to see whether there was any water leakage during the night. If so, track it down and have it repaired.

In the laundry room

• Wash only full loads in your washing machine.
• Use the shortest cycle possible for washing clothes, and use the "suds-saver" feature if your machine has one.
• If your washer has an adjustable water-level indicator, set the dial to use only as much water as is really necessary.
• If you have a septic system, spread out your washing to avoid heavy-use days that could overload the system.
• Use only cleaning products that will not harm the environment when they are washed away after use. Look for "environmentally friendly" products when shopping.
• Promptly repair any leaks around the taps, hoses, or fittings of your washer, or the taps of your laundry sink.

In the yard and garden

• Lawns and gardens require only 5 millimetres of water per day during warm weather. Less is needed during spring, fall, or cool weather.
• Water lawns every three to five days, rather than for a short period every day. In warm weather, apply 5 millimetres of water for each day since the last watering.
• The amount of water applied can easily be measured by placing a can in the area being sprinkled. Measure the time required to apply the proper amount of water and use this information for future sprinkling.
• Grass that is green does not need water. Water is required when the grass starts to develop a black tinge along the top. Recovery is almost immediate when water is applied at this stage. Blackening does not hurt grass; browning does.
• Do not over-water in anticipation of a shortage. Soil cannot store extra water.
• Use shut-off timers or on-off timers, if possible. Do not turn on sprinklers and leave for the day.
• Water during the cool part of the day, in the morning or evening. Do not water on windy days.
• Keep your lawns healthy and maintain them at a height of 6.5 centimetres. Taller grass holds water better, and a healthy lawn will choke out weeds.
• Young or freshly transplanted garden plants need small quantities of water more frequently until they are well established.
• Most shrubs and young trees need water only once per week, even in warm weather.
• Wash your vehicle only when absolutely necessary.
• Clean sidewalks and driveways with a broom, not with a hose.

In the bush

• Do not wash in the lake or river.
• Wash your dishes away from the water's edge, moving into the bush approximately 10 metres. Use sand instead of soap to scrub them clean.
• Do not dump waste food or garbage in the water.
• Clean fish well away from the water's edge.
• Build latrines well back from the water's edge.
• If a latrine is needed only for temporary use, dig a shallow pit approximately 15 centimetres deep, at least 10 metres away from the water's edge and cover over with earth when moving on.
• Dig shallow pits, approximately 15 centimetres deep, to bury compostable waste such as food waste or fish guts. Or burn waste to avoid attracting animals.
• Pack out all non-degradable waste, such as cans, bottles, tinfoil, and plastic.
• Fill outboard motors over land, not over water.
• Consider using an electric motor or a canoe instead of a gasoline motor.

For more information on the ways in which you can use water more efficiently in your home, consult our publication Water: No Time to Waste – A Consumer's Guide to Water Conservation.

2. Avoid using hazardous household products

Most proprietary household chemicals are safe to use and are environmentally friendly when used according to the directions on the package. However, some have a harmful cumulative effect on the environment when they are over-used or incorrectly disposed of.

• Buy only those environmentally hazardous products you really need, and buy them in quantities you will be able to completely use up so that you will not have to worry about disposing of the leftovers later.
• Additional information on nonhazardous household products and their uses can be obtained from the following and similar organizations:
  
  Canadian Manufacturers of Chemical Specialties Association
  56 Sparks Street, Suite 500
  Ottawa, Ontario  K1P 5A9
  Tel.: 613-232-6616
  Fax: 613-233-6350
  E-mail: morinm@cmcs.org
  
  Consumers Association of Canada 
  436 Gilmore Street, 3^rd Floor
  Ottawa, Ontario  K2P 0R8
  Tel.: 613-238-2533
  Fax: 613-238-2538
  E-mail: info@consumer.ca

The federal government endorses products that are environmentally responsible. Look for the Environmental Choice EcoLogo™. Products bearing this label have been tested and certified by the Environmental Choice Program. Each dove represents a sector of society – consumers, industry, and government – linked together to improve and protect the environment. The logo identifies the products that maximize energy efficiency and the use of recycled or recyclable materials and minimize the use of environmentally hazardous substances. Consumers can make informed choices. For more information, contact:

EcoLogo^M Program 
TerraChoice Environmental Marketing
1280 Old Innes, Suite 801
Ottawa, Ontario  K1B 5M7
Toll free: 1-800-478-0399
Fax: 613-247-2228
E-mail: ecologo@terrachoice.ca

3. Don't misuse your household's sewage system

If you do not want toxic chemicals in household products harming the environment and even coming back to you in your water or your food, dispose of them properly.

• Always try to use completely, or to recycle to other people, all of the contents of such products as oven cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners, sink drain cleaners, bleaches, rust removers, and most other acidic and alkali products. This also includes paints, solvents, carpet and furniture cleaners, polishes, and glues.
• Such items as disposable diapers, dental floss, plastic tampon holders, and hair can create many problems in the sewage treatment plant; they should all be tossed into the wastebasket, not the toilet.
• Contact your local fire department or municipal/city hall regarding the disposal of flammable liquid such as barbecue starter fluids, lighter fluids, gasoline, and furnace oils.
• Where possible, choose latex (water-based) paint instead of oil-based paint. Use it up instead of storing or dumping it.

4. Avoid the use of pesticides and hazardous materials in your garden and yard

Some pesticides and hazardous materials accumulate in the groundwater and food chain and are toxic to various forms of life, particularly when they are not used according to the directions specified on the package or when the empty containers are disposed of without proper precautions.

• Reduce or avoid the use of pesticides to control household or garden pests by employing more environmentally responsible methods such as
  • pulling weeds by hand;
  • pulling off and disposing of infested leaves;
  • picking off larvae;
  • using an insecticidal soap solution to dislodge or suffocate insects, or dislodging them using a stream of water from a garden hose;
  • rotating garden crops each year to prevent depletion of soil nutrients and to control soil-borne diseases;
  • cultivating your garden. Regular hoeing will control weeds and keep plants healthy and more resistant to insects.
• Use natural fertilizers such as bonemeal or compost.
• Spread sand rather than salt on your sidewalks and driveways to get traction on winter ice.

5. Don't dump hazardous products into storm drains

Storm drains empty into underground storm sewer systems, discharging directly into nearby lakes and streams, which are important habitats for fish and wildlife. Unlike domestic wastes collected by sanitary sewers, the contents of storm sewers are generally not treated at sewage treatment plants prior to their discharge into a stream or lake. Therefore dispose of oils, detergents, paints, solvents, and other products at local recycling or disposal facilities. Some communities organize special days for collecting these wastes or have their own hazardous-waste collection sites. Contact your health and environment officers or local waste disposal company for times and place. If your community doesn't have either, promote the idea.

6. Don't sit back and just let things happen

An informed and committed public can become a powerful constituency in support of environmentally concerned political leaders, and even by themselves can provide a catalyst for environmental issues. You can make a difference!

• Become informed.
• Trust in the ability of the individual to take action on environmental issues, and work together with other individuals, experts, and politicians.
• Be willing to change your attitudes, behaviours, and expectations.
• Join and support local and national groups that work to solve environmental problems on institutional, national, and international levels. There are about 1800 such groups across Canada.
• Urge and support federal, provincial, and municipal action on environmental issues.
• Do not use products that are harmful to the environment. Urge stores to abandon wasteful packaging and to use biodegradable materials.
• Exercise your rights as a citizen: request information, participate in public hearings, serve on advisory committees, and address review boards. Under federal legislation, these options are available within the terms of both the Canada Water Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. There are others...
• When voting in municipal, provincial, and federal elections, make your choices based on the environmental views, positions, and practices of the candidates.
• Educate your children and your friends. Environmental problems cannot be solved in a single generation; your children and their children will have to carry on the work.

We welcome readers' comments about the Primer. These can be sent to the address below. To obtain a list of other publications on water, contact:

Enquiry Centre
Environment Canada
Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 0H3
Tel.: 819-997-2800
Toll free: 1-800-668-6767
Fax: 819-994-1412
E-mail: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

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