Province of Manitoba Seeing Green to Protect our Environment

Water-Saving Tips

Here are some suggestions on slowing the flow in your home.

Bathroom

Approximately 65 per cent of household water is used in the bathroom - about 30 per cent for toilet flushing and 35 per cent for showers and baths.

Replace high water-use toilets (13 to 26 litres per flush) with 6-litre low-flow toilets to reduce water flushed by 54 to 77 per cent. Dual-flush toilets save even more – an average of 26 per cent more than 6-litre toilets. Dual-flush models feature two buttons or levels located on the top or side of the tank, allowing for a flush option of three or four litres of water for liquid waste and a 6-litre flush for solid waste.
If you are unable to retrofit to a more efficient toilet at this time, installing an early closure device can reduce water per flush in toilets by up to 35 per cent. A toilet dam or even a water-filled plastic bottle suspended in your tank can save a few litres each time you flush.
Don’t use the toilet to dispose of trash.
A partially filled tub uses less water than a long shower; a short shower uses less than a full tub. Time your next shower. Make it a habit to be finished in less than 5 minutes. Fill your bath just half way.
A 5-minute shower with a standard shower head uses 100 litres of water: A 5-minute shower with a low-flow shower head uses less than 50 litres of water. Replace your 20-litre-per-minute showerhead with a low-flow 9.5-litre-per-minute showerhead and save more than half the water.
Install a water conserving 3.5-litre-per-minute aerator on your bathroom tap.
When shaving, rinse the razor in a cup or a partially filled sink instead of letting the tap run.
Don’t run water when brushing your teeth. Use a glass of water to rinse.

Kitchen & Laundry

Laundry consumes 20 per cent, kitchen and drinking 10 per cent, and cleaning 5 per cent.

Install a water saving 9.5-litre-per-minute aerator on the kitchen tap.
Rinse dishes in a stoppered sink or basin, not with running water.
Wash vegetables in a basin or stoppered sink, then quickly rinse using running water.
Re-use the rinse water from vegetable washing to water houseplants.
Keep drinking water in the fridge rather than running the water to get the desired chill. Wash the container and change the water every few days.
Thaw food in the fridge rather than under a running tap. This conserves both energy and water.
Compost organic waste instead of using a sink garbage disposal.
Buy a low-water-use dishwasher to save on energy, water and detergent costs.
Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water whether it is full or empty, so make sure it is full before you use it.
The same goes for your washing machine. Fill it to its maximum recommended load or select reduced water volumes for smaller loads.
Front loading washing machines use nearly 50 per cent less water than conventional top-loading washers and require less electricity to operate because of their more efficient spin cycles. You’ll save water on both your water and electricity bills. If you can’t get a front-loader, choose a clothes washer with a suds saver and water-saving cycle.

General Water Use

Only use water treatment or softening systems if required. If possible, only use softened water for bathing and cleaning – use unsoftened water for cooking, drinking and watering plants.
Ensure your water softener regenerates only when the resin is exhausted. Turn the system off if you will be away for more than a few days.
Insulate hot water tank and pipes to reduce the need to run water until it is hot. Install a heat trap on the pipe above your water heater to save energy and water.
Avoid wasting water while waiting for hot water to come down the pipes – capture it for plant watering or other uses.
Know location of sink, toilet and main shut off valves in case a pipe or water heater blows, or so you can turn off your water when you are away.
If your water pipes tend to freeze, do not let the tap run continuously. Instead, install heat tape or connect a pump-back reservoir system (discuss options with your plumber or electrician).
Recycle. The less waste we put in landfills, the less chance it has to get into our groundwater, lakes and streams.
Properly dispose of hazardous waste. Paints, chemicals and household cleaners should not be disposed of with other household waste and should never be flushed or poured down the drain. Contact your local hazardous waste disposal agency for instructions or visit the Province of Manitoba website for more information: http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pollutionprevention/waste/hhw.html .

Leaks

According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, 20 per cent of all municipal drinking water is lost to leaks. A leak of 30 drops per minute wastes about 250 litres per month. A toilet that runs after a flush can waste as much as 200,000 litres of water per year. Fixing a hot water leak will save energy as well as water.

Periodically check water meter readings at bedtime and in the morning. If readings differ and no water has been intentionally used, this will indicate a leak.
Place a few drops of food colouring in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. Check the flapper valve, valve seat and flapper lift chain for the source.
Conduct a periodic "leak check" a minimum of twice a year on water-using fixtures and appliances, including outside hose connections. Replace worn washers, O-rings and faulty fixtures.

In Your Yard

More than 50 per cent of the water applied to lawns and gardens is lost due to evaporation or run-off because of over-watering. Find out how much water your lawn really needs. As a general rule, most lawns and gardens require little more than 2 to 3 centimeters (1 inch) of water per week.
To reduce losses due to evaporation, water early in the morning (after the dew has dried) or in the evening, and don’t water on very windy days.
Watering during off-peak hours helps your utility manage its load on the system and helps ensure adequate reservoir levels and water pressure for possible fire emergencies.
Sprinklers should be suited to the size and shape of your lawn to avoid watering driveways and sidewalks.
Sprinklers that lay water down in a flat pattern are better than oscillating sprinklers which lose as much as 50 percent of what they disperse through evaporation.
Drip irrigation systems which apply water only to the roots zone are the most efficient – although the most expensive – alternative.
Consider a low-maintenance landscape. Often called xeriscaping, the principles of a low-maintenance landscape include a reduced amount of lawn and proper plant selection, making use of native grasses, shrubs and trees which require less water.
Use fertilizers and pesticides sparingly on grass and gardens, and carefully follow manufacturers’ instructions. Excess fertilizer or pesticide may end up in the water supply.
Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting – taller grass holds moisture better and reduces weeds.
Compost your kitchen and garden waste and use it instead of fertilizer. Compost is the natural way to fertilize. It’s free and an economical way to recycle organic waste
Clean up after your pet and dispose of waste in the trash.
When washing a car, fill a bucket with water and use a sponge. This can save about 300 litres of water.
Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway and sidewalk.

Rural Land

Do not over-apply fertilizers and pesticides. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and use only when necessary. Excess fertilizers can run into our lakes and rivers. Too much fertilizer causes overgrowth of algae and water plants, and can even make water supplies toxic to people, fish and wildlife.
Ensure that surface pollution and animal waste drains away from your well to prevent contamination.
Properly seal abandoned wells – ensure that they do not become a source of contamination to your groundwater. Contact your local conservation district for the proper way to seal an abandoned well.
Leaking septic tanks are a major cause of groundwater contamination. Have yours inspected regularly and repaired promptly.
Consider using a holding tank instead of a septic field. Holding tanks are emptied regularly and the waste is taken to a disposal site.
Repair leaking oil and fuel tanks – they can contaminate soil as well as water. Inspect and repair as required.
Monitor your irrigating carefully – you’ll save water, minimize runoff and also reduce the risk of increased soil salinity.

Business and Industry

Conduct a water audit with equipment operators to identify ways of decreasing water dependence, wastewater treatment and pumping costs.
Use the best technology and management practices available to minimize costs and reduce hazards to the environment and human health.