Water Conservation

Drinking Water

In North America, we often take our tap water for granted. It is a finite resource that is required for all facets of life. Our public health, fire protection, food production, etc. depend on a constant supply of fresh water. This resource should be conserved and protected at all costs.

In the Cowichan Valley, we obtain our drinking water from aquifers, lakes and rivers. We are lucky to have such high quality fresh water sources available to us; however, contamination of these sources is a real concern. Disposing of hazardous products, such as chemicals, paints, oils, at appropriate facilities instead of dumping them on the ground or into storm sewers, open drainage courses or septic tanks will help reduce this threat.

 

Water Wise Tips

Garden and Lawn:

  • Water lawns only when they start to appear slightly wilted, then apply one inch of water. Over-watering weakens the plant's root system, making the lawn vulnerable to disease and pests

  • Set your sprinkler to avoid watering patios, driveways and walks. Use timers on sprinklers

  • Do not cut your grass too short. Longer grass retains more moisture near the roots

  • Mulch around your plants to prevent excess evaporation

  • Sweep your driveway and walkway instead of washing with a hose

  • Landscape with plants native to this region and/or practice xeriscaping (gardening with plants that require less water)

  • Catch and store water from your down spouts in a rain barrel and use this water on your plants

Washing Clothes:

  • Wash only full loads of laundry, but avoid overloading the machine

  • If your machine has a `suds-saver' feature, be sure to use it (this feature reuses the clean rinse water for washing the next load)

  • Set the water-level indicator dial to use only as much water as is really necessary

Kitchen:

  • Fully load your dishwasher. If you wash dishes by hand, partially fill one sink for washing and the other for rinsing

  • Wash fruit and vegetables in a partially filled sink or in a container of water, instead of allowing the water to run constantly. A quick final rinse should be all that is necessary. Use rinse water to water plants

  • Capture excess water in a container if running the tap is necessary. This can provide an ample supply of water for indoor and outdoor plant watering

  • Keep drinking water in the refrigerator in a covered container, instead of running the tap while waiting for the water to get cold. Every few days, be sure to wash the container and change the water. Use leftover drinking water on plants or for cleaning

Bathroom:

  • Install low flow faucet heads and water-wise fixtures and appliances in your home

  • Replace your old 13 litre or more toilet with a high efficiency 4.8 litre per flush or dual flush toilet

  • Place a plastic container (filled with water) in your toilet tank and displace the excess water to fill the tank and reduce the amount of water needed to flush. Make sure that you don't displace so much that you have trouble flushing. Low flow toilets are already designed to do this

  • Never use the toilet as a garbage can

  • Turn off your tap when brushing your teeth or when shaving

  • Turn off the water when lathering up in the shower

Testing for Leaks:

  • Hidden leaks can be difficult to find. Watch the meter when you have no water on to see if it is moving. If the meter indicates water use during this time, track down the source and have it repaired

  • Check to see if your toilet is leaking by placing some food colouring in your tank and, if after 15-20 minutes, it appears in your toilet bowl, there is a leak that should be fixed

  • Fix water leaks and dripping taps. One dripping tap can waste up to 14 gallons daily