Ministry of the Ministère de April 2004 Environment l’Environment Green Facts Water conservation tips in and around the home Water is a precious resource - it’s a lifeline for •Water lawns and gardens no more than once a humans and for all living things. Unfortunately, we week - early morning or late evening watering often take water for granted, believing that supplies reduces evaporation. are unlimited. They’re not. There is a limit to how •Two centimetres of water a week should be much and how fast water can be retrieved from sufficient for your lawn (keep an empty container lakes, rivers and underground aquifiers. under the sprinkler to do the measurement). Every one of us can, and must, take action to •Wash your car near the lawn or shrubs to make conserve water at home, whether it’s outdoors or in greater use of the water. the kitchen or bathroom. •Cut grass less frequently and to longer lengths - short cuts encourage evaporation. Repair all leaks One of the first things you should do is find any leaky •Leave grass clippings on the lawn - they retain pipes or faucets. In addition to being annoying, they moisture and fertilize at the same time. waste significant amounts of water and energy. •Use compost, grass and leaves as mulch on •A good way to check for leaks is to turn off all garden beds to prevent evaporation. taps in your home and check the water meter to •Choose drought-resistant trees, plants and grasses see if water is still flowing - if it is, you’ve got a that need less water. problem that should be fixed right away. Make sure you don’t have leaky toilets - they can In the kitchen waste as much as 200 litres of water every day. •Don’t thaw frozen foods under running water - defrost them in the microwave or refrigerator. •Toilet leaks can be detected by adding a few drops of food colouring to the water in the toilet tanks - •Don’t rinse food or dishes under the tap - use if the coloured water appears in the bowl, the some water in a bowl or in the sink. toilet is leaking and should be repaired. •Don’t run the tap for cold water - use ice cubes or keep a jug of water in the refrigerator. Outdoors •Don’t water lawns and gardens or wash your car •Compost kitchen wastes instead of using a when a municipal water shortage warning is in garburator. effect. PIBS 3780e01 Ministry of the Ministère de Environment l’Environment •Add a water-saving aerator to the tap. For more information on water conservation, please contact: In the bathroom Public Information Centre •Whether you’re building a new home or remodeling 135 St. Clair Avenue West your bathroom, you should install low consumption Toronto, ON toilets. M4V 1P5 Tel: (416) 325-4000 •Place a toilet dam in the toilet tank to save as Fax: (416) 325-3159 much as four litres a flush. Toll-free number: •Don’t brush and rinse teeth with running water - 1-800-565-4923 use a glass. Internet: www.ene.gov.on.ca •Take a shower instead of a bath. •If you do take a bath, use less water - a quarter full should be enough. •Shower for five minutes instead of ten - it will save about 40 litres of water. •If your shower has a single-handle control or shut- off valve, turn off the flow while soaping or shampooing. •If the valve that diverts water from the tub spout to the showerhead is leaking, replace it. •Water-saving shower heads can cut water use by 40 per cent and pay for themselves in as little as four months. Around the house •Wash only full loads of laundry. •Save clothes that need hand washing to do it all at once. •Consider a more water-efficient washing machine - some newer models have their drum on the side and cut water use in half. •Buy water purification or softening systems that are water-efficient.