Saving water at home: understanding water consumption and tips for reducing consumption

If you haven't already done so, you should check your utility bills from time to time, even if you're set up for automatic payments. If needed, you can check your credit card statement to see how much your water bill cost this month. On average, the The average Canadian uses approximately 329 litres of water per dayThe average Quebecer uses slightly more water than the national average, around 400 liters per day. That's a lot! Consider all the toilets we flush every day, the dishes we wash, and the showers we take. Not only can this increase our water bills, but it's worth noting the privilege of having access to safe drinking water when millions of people in developing countries don't.

How can we help reduce our water consumption at home? What is the biggest contributor to our daily water usage? Read on for some tips on how to reduce water consumption at home.

How fixed and variable charges make up your water bill

Your water bill is based on fixed charges and variable charges. Fixed charges – the charges you pay regardless of your water consumption and based on your location – include a monthly basic water service charge, which covers the maintenance of your water meter and the monthly meter reading required to issue your bill; a monthly stormwater service charge, which covers the costs of maintaining the stormwater system; a stormwater charge, which covers the collection of unmetered water, such as melted snow, that flows off your property into the sewer system; and a monthly wastewater service charge, which covers wastewater treatment services.

Variable costs are expenses you might be able to reduce through small lifestyle changes. These include the cost of water, based on your consumption, wastewater charges, and sanitary drainage charges.

If you haven't made any significant changes to your water usage and your water bill suddenly seems much higher than before, there may be a leak somewhere. Call your water service provider for more information, as it could be a meter or billing error. It could also be a broken appliance, a leak, or simply the summer weather, and you're watering your lawn or garden more frequently.

Tips for reducing your water consumption at home

You can control the "variable" portion of your water bill in various ways, including:

• Reduce your shower time. Most showers average around 8 minutes, which can use up to 90 liters of water. Many of us spend an unnecessary amount of time in the shower, which we can reduce by simply shortening our shower time to just a few minutes.
• Invest in low-flow faucets, toilets, and showerheads. Older toilets can use up to 26 liters of water per flush, while low-flow toilets use only about 5 liters per flush. Replacing your appliances can be expensive, but you can expect the renovation to pay for itself in as little as three years or less.
• Avoid leaving the water running when washing dishes by hand and fill the sink instead.
• Use a rain barrel to collect water for watering your plants. You can also reuse water around the house. If you have fish, their dirty water can be used to fertilize plants. Unused ice cubes can be used to water your lawn. Even the water from old pasta can be nutritious for your garden!
• Only run the dishwasher and/or washing machine when they are fully loaded. It can be tempting to do a load every time you want your most comfortable or beloved item of clothing clean to use again, but this can significantly increase your water consumption. Try running your dishwasher only once a week—(this can save you over 1,000 liters of water per year!)—which can reduce your water costs by about $300 annually. It is often mistakenly believed that a dishwasher uses more water than washing by hand. Faucet washing uses 9 liters of water per minute, whereas a single run of the dishwasher will use approximately 27 liters of water.

You can help protect communities, lower your water bill, and protect the planet by reducing the amount of water you use every day. You may not think that one household can do much to make a long-term difference, but a little effort goes a long way!