How can I reduce my water consumption?

There are several ways to reduce your water consumption without spending money or upgrading your home.

Many people use sprinklers throughout the growing season to water their grass. Covering your lawn in treated water is wasteful. Consider watering your lawn every 3 days or once a week. Or, if you want to minimize water consumption, quit watering your lawn altogether. It may not be as green-looking, but you will earn points with your sustainable-minded neighbours for being environmentally friendly!

When it comes to garden watering, consider using a rain barrel. Rainwater is free, better for your plants, reduces your water bill and, most importantly, is environmentally friendly and sustainable.

There are many ways to reduce consumption inside the house. People often leave the tap running while they wash, dry and put away dishes, or while brushing their teeth. Breaking this habit goes a long way in reducing water use, so try to turn off the tap when not in use. Also, make sure to regularly check that your faucets don’t leak. A leaky faucet adds up quickly. Fixing a leaky faucet is a maintenance task that will save you money and reduce water consumption.

Another way to reduce consumption is to take shorter showers. Consider reducing your shower time to 20, 10, or even 5 minutes if possible. Just make sure you get all the soap out of your hair!

Finally, if you have a pool or hot tub, always keep the cover on. This will reduce evaporation and the need to refill the pool or tub. As an added benefit, the water will stay warm for longer and require less energy to heat, saving you money.