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Conserving Our Water
Quick Links:
Indoor Water Tips
Outdoor Water Use
Xeriscaping
Native Plant Species
Indoor Water Conservation
According to Environment Canada the average households indoor water use is broken down accordingly:
35% Showers & Baths
30% Toilets & Flushing
20% Laundry
10% Kitchen & Drinking
5% Cleaning
Indoor Water Tips:
Install A Low-flow Shower Head - A low-flow showerhead with a shut-off lever will use 60% less water.
Take A Shower Instead Of A Bath - A quick, five minute shower will use 50% less hot water than a bath. When you do have a bath do not fill the tub to the top.
Kitchen Tips - Only run the dishwasher when it is full and scrape the plates rather than rinsing them. If you wash dishes by hand do not do so under running water. Fill both sinks - one with soapy water and one for rinsing. If you only have one sink, rinse with a hand sprayer or use a pan for rinse water.
Toilet Tips - Do not use the toilet as a garbage. Inspect your toilet flapper regularly to ensure it is not leaking. Replace older toilets with new low capacity models that hold 6 liters or install a toilet dam temporarily.
Avoid Running Taps - Instead fill the sink with water and stop 80% of the water from going down the drain when shaving, rinsing vegetables/fruit or washing dishes. When brushing your teeth fill a glass of water for rinsing. Keep a container of water in the fridge for drinking. Running water uses 19 liters per minute!
Run only full loads of laundry and try to limit the amount of bleach, softeners and other chemicals used as they degrade water quality. If you need to wash only a small load adjust the water level on the machine. Wash in warm water rather than hot.
Use Environmentally Friendly Cleaners - most cleaning products contain very harmful pollutants and chemicals that harm our water and our bodies. Choose organic products or make your own cleaners with common household substances such as lemon juice, vinegar, salt and baking soda. Any of these ingredients can be mixed together to create safer cleaning solutions.
Outdoor Water Conservation
Rain Barrels
Capture rain water for your garden and plants. A cistern or rain barrel located on the corners of your house where eaves troughs drain will capture and store rainwater for watering vegetation. A screen will prevent bugs and other debris from entering.
Sprinklers
Lawns only require 2-3 cm of water per week. Water no more than once every 4-6 days. Water with a coarse sprinkler or a sprinkler that is close to the ground to reduce evaporation. Place your sprinkler on the lawn so that you are only watering the grass, not the sidewalk, street or driveway.
Water in the early morning and late evening when the dew is still on the grass to reduce evaporation. To measure how long you need to water your lawn set a glass jar on the grass when you are sprinkling. Measure the depth of the water collected and record the length of time. Remember you only need 2-3 cm or about 1 inch of water per week.
Use a broom - do not clean your sidewalks or driveway with water. By using a broom instead you will save at least 200 liters every time.
Rain Gardens
Rain gardens are slightly sunken gardens located where run-off from your yard naturally flows. They prevent excess storm and rain water from entering the storm water system - which can lead to system back-ups and flooding.
A rain garden located in the lowest part of the yard.
Source: http://chicagowildernessmag.org/. ../raingardens.html
Xeriscaping
To save an enormous amount of water practice xeriscape gardening. This means replacing some or most of your lawn with plants, grasses and shrubs that are native to this region. When growing native plants you will:
1. use less water
2. have less maintenance
3. use less fertilizers and pesticides
Check out the Prairie Urban Garden website at www.prairieurbangarden.ca for more information and examples of xeriscape gardening.
Grass lawns are not native to our prairie climate which means excessive watering and fertilizers to keep them green. With an xeriscaped yard most of the grass is replaced with plant species that naturally thrive in our climate.
Pesticides and fertilizers enter our water system through the soil and waste water system thus degrading water quality and numerous plant and wildlife habitats. The chemicals from fertilizers consist of nitrous oxides which are a GHGs. Switch to organic products or try growing native plants that are healthier for the environment, your lawn and your family.
Xeriscaped yard in progress - the deck is made of recycled wooden pallets, Lethbridge.
An xeriscaped flower bed, Lethbridge.
Native Species Southern Alberta
| Prairie Flowers |
Prairie Grasses |
Prairie Shrubs |
| Prairie Smoke |
Sideoats Gama |
Saskatoon Berry |
| Golden Alexanders |
Crested June grass |
New Jersey Tea |
| Butterfly Weed |
Prairie Dropseed |
Grey Dogwood |
| Canada Milk Vetch |
Big Bluestem |
Fragrant Sumac |
| Blazing Star |
Little Bluestem |
Early Wild Rose |
| Wild Bergamot |
Canada Wild Rye |
Meadowsweet |
| Purple Prairie Clover |
Switchgrass |
Silverweed |
| Yellow Coneflower |
Indian Grass |
Dwarf Birch |
| Black-eyed Susan |
Tufted Hair |
Snowberry |
| Blue Vervain |
Sweetgrass |
Fringed Sage |
| Culver's Root |
Alpine Bluegrass |
Sagebrush |
| Ox-eye |
Green Needle Grass |
Bog Cranberry |
 Blazing Star  Meadowsweet  Fragrant Sumac
ALCLA Native Plant Restoration Inc. the site of a Calgary based native plant supplier.
Xeriscape Links:
Green Venture
EarthEasy
Another way to reduce watering is to enhance the moisture retention of your soil. This is done by using nutrient rich compost or mulch. Compost is obtained by saving your yard and kitchen organics and allowing them to decompose. Compost is the best conditioner for plants, it's free and great for the environment. By composting, a family of three can reduce GHGs by more than 1/8 of a tonne per year. source: Your guide to the One Tonne Challenge, page 21.
To Learn more about composting visit the Composting Council of Canada's Website or the City of Lethbridge's Recycling & Composting page
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