July 2016
Canadians view fresh water as an important natural resource and are confident in the quality of the tap water they receive. Yet there are opportunities for greater conservation of this important and costly resource.
Canadians use an average of 329 litres of water per day according to the Canadian Water Attitudes Study. The breakdown of how this water is used:
- Showers/Baths – 35%
- Toilet Flushing – 30%
- Laundry – 20%
- Kitchen and Drinking – 10%
- Cleaning – 5%
It is not uncommon for condo corporations to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on water bills. Reducing this expenditure by 25% could result in savings in excess of $50,000 per year.
Water Conservation Tips
Conserving water means conserving energy. A 60-watt lightbulb that is on for 14 hours can use the same amount of energy as running a tap for five minutes.
Water faucets have an average flow rate of 13.5 litres of water per minute. Low-flow aerators can reduce this flow by more than 50%.
Water use can increase by as much as 50% during the growing season. Much of this water is lost to evaporation and over watering. Oscillating sprinklers can lose as much as 50% of what is dispersed through evaporation. A soaker hose is more energy efficient.
Within a domestic hot water system, even the smallest of pinhole leaks is costly. There is a cost to loss of water through the leak and repair of any damage that may have occurred. Repairs may require that the entire system be drained and refilled. It makes more sense to work towards prevention of these leaks rather than repairing them as they occur.
Read the Canadian Water Attitudes Study for more ideas on how to conserve water and save money.
For more information on water and energy efficiency see the Condo Archives – Condo Building Management, subheadings Energy Efficiency and Water Issues.
