Here are some suggestions on slowing the flow in your home (Source: www.gov.mb.ca).
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.
· Don’t use the toilet to dispose of trash.
· A 5-minute shower with a standard shower head uses 100 litres of water: A 5-minute shower with a low-flow showerhead (9.5-litre-per-minute ) uses less than 50 litres of water.
· Install a water conserving 3.5-litre-per-minute aerator on your bathroom tap.
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.
· 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.
· 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.
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.
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.
· Consider a low-maintenance landscape.
· 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.
· 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.