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Mar 11, 2024

If it’s yellow: Tips to help reduce water consumption

A small drip from a leaky faucet can waste up to 75 litres of water per day. (Photo credit: PumpkinSky/Wikimedia Commons) With most of B.C. experiencing severe drought conditions, we all need to

A small drip from a leaky faucet can waste up to 75 litres of water per day. (Photo credit: PumpkinSky/Wikimedia Commons)

With most of B.C. experiencing severe drought conditions, we all need to reduce water waste

The Thompson River watershed is now at Drought Level 4, the second-worst drought rating. As of Aug. 3, 28 out of B.C.’s 34 water basins are at Level 4 or Level 5 ratings, prompting many local governments to impose or increase water restrictions in an attempt to conserve water.

These restrictions often involve limiting the days and times during which people can water lawns, or forbidding activities such as washing your car or filling your pool or hot tub. However, many people are unaware of how much excess water they waste every day through simple acts such as leaving the water running while they brush their teeth, or taking lengthy showers.

There are many small ways to save water, which may not be as dramatic as turning off your sprinkler system but which cumulatively add up. Here are some ways to conserve water so that further restrictions don’t become necessary.

1. Worried that your flower or vegetable gardens might dry up? Many municipalities still allow hand-watering of garden beds and planters with a hose, but make sure it has a nozzle on it that prevents water from flowing freely. Better yet, fill a watering can and use that instead; you’ll be less likely to waste water than with a hose.

2. Get a moisture meter: a simple non-mechanical device that shows you how much moisture is in your soil. You might find that you don’t need to be watering as often as you think.

3. Instead of letting the cold tap run before you fill a glass with water, fill up a jug and place it in the fridge, so you have cold water available when you want it. A running tap can use up to one gallon of water per minute.

4. On the same note, turn the tap off while you brush your teeth. If you brush your teeth twice a day, two minutes each time, and leave the water running you’re wasting 30 litres of water every time you clean your pearly whites. That adds up to more than 750 litres of water per month.

5. A nice soak in the bathtub can be lovely, but a bath uses three to six times more water than a five-minute shower. When you shower, try to aim for less than five minutes, and consider turning the water off while you shampoo your hair or are soaping up.

6. If you don’t have a low-flow toilet, consider putting a toilet tank bank in the tank. It’s a small bag that you fill with water and place in the tank, which helps you use less water per flush. When it comes to frequency of flushing, remember the old saying: if it’s yellow, let it mellow; if it’s brown, flush it down.

7. Fix those dripping faucets or toilets. Even a small drip from a tap can waste 75 or more litres of water per day; larger leaks can easily waste hundreds of litres a day. While you’re at it, install low-flow faucet aerators and shower heads.

8. Only run the washing machine and/or dishwasher when you have a full load.

9. Dirty car getting you down? Go to a car wash instead of washing it in your driveway. Professional car washes use on average about a third of the water used when washing a car at home, according to the Canadian Carwash Association. A typical car washed by someone at home can use up to 450 litres of water.

10. Don’t use a pressure washer to clean off your driveway, patio, or steps. Sweep them instead, or use a leaf blower.

Village of Ashcroft residents can pick up free packs containing various water-saving devices — including a toilet tank bank, garden hose nozzle, low-flow faucet aerator, moisture meter, and more — from the village office at 601 Bancroft Street.

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B.C. Drought

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