Household Water Management

We are fortunate here in Quebec that water is still free. We have no water meters and unlimited usage is permitted. We enjoy the luxury of living in a place with inexpensive hydro-electric power and abundant fresh water but we understand that our position is both unsustainable in the long term and also not shared by many of our neighbours (speaking globally). While the issue is more acute elsewhere we all need to be aware of the diminishing availability of clean drinking water. The global supply of good water keeps decreasing. I'm writing this while sitting next to one of the world's great rivers, the mighty St. Lawrence, with it's apparent inexhaustible supply of water. A river whose water quality has increased substantially since I was a kid. If we want to keep the luxury of easily accessible clean water then conservation needs to be in place today, not tomorrow. Here are some easy to implement ideas for household water conservation and for living in an eco friendly home. 

About the easiest technique for good water management is simply to collect the rainwater that falls on your home. Most homes in Quebec already have a gutter or eaves-trough system in place. You simply need to take the downspout and direct it into a tank or water barrel. Why should you bother to collect rain water when it is much easier to just turn on the garden hose? Well although that water is apparently abundant it is not and endless resource. As mentioned above we need to begin managing it more carefully if we want to move towards one day living in a sustainable city.  By using your own water you ease the burden of cleaning water by your local municipality. Keep in mind they clean the water that you drink and bath with. Why have them waste resources cleaning water that you will only use to water the lawn or vegetable garden? Setting up a water collection system to be used in your yard is quite simple. You can purchase a water barrel from any hardware store, sit it under your downspout (making a cut in the downspout if necessary) and watch it fill right up after a couple rainfalls. Most of these water barrels come with an exit spout at the bottom where it's easy to attach your garden hose. You'll feel great knowing that you are doing a little bit to help. Keep in mind that this 'grey water' should only be used for washing cars, watering lawns etc. Don't let the kids drink it! Also keep it covered to avoid small animals falling in.

There are a couple modifications that can be done in the bathroom that would have a nice effect on your water meter. Installing a low-flow shower head. These are easy to install and available at any home hardware store. It works great as it saves water but doesn't feel like it's giving less water. It simply adds air to the water (aeration) making it feel softer and voluminous. The other item has two approaches. If you are in need of a new toilet then the next one you buy, you'll want to make sure that it is also Low Flow. These use much less water but thanks to improved design are still quite effective. I was in Europe a couple of years ago and they are way ahead of North America in this department. Everywhere I went they had toilets that used a fraction of the water that ours use. If a new toilet is not in your immediate plans then something as simple as filling a plastic water bottle up with water and placing it in your tank will help. Every time you flush you will be saving a bottles' worth of water. This will add up over time. Also simply turning off the water while brushing teeth will save a few gallons - especially if the whole family does this.

Small Changes with your Water Habits

Like the toothbrush tip above, it's the little things that can really add up at the end of the year. If you happen to be on a meter and pay for your water all of these tips will provide savings. Only use the dishwasher and clothes washing machine for full loads. Don't leave the water running while washing dishes by hand or while shaving. You might also want to check for any leaks that may not have become apparent. Simply check the number on your meter, make sure all of the water in your place is off and wait two hours. Now check that number, it should be exactly the same. If it is not then you either have a little leak somewhere or perhaps somebody  has figured out a way to 'borrow' your water - maybe something was done while a previous owner lived there. Time for a little water investigation.