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WATER SAVINGS PROGRAM

Did you know that you could reduce the flow of water coming out of your faucets by 25%? A low-flow aerator generates a sufficient stream to fill a glass or rinse a toothbrush while still enabling you to achieve significant water savings.

Before starting the dishwasher, make sure it’s loaded to its full capacity

Instead of letting the tap run every time you want water, fill a pitcher and put it in the refrigerator. The water will be much colder and it will no longer have the chlorine after-taste!

Set the water level of your washing machine according to the size of your load. If your machine does not have this ability, do full loads only.

Shut the faucet when shaving or brushing your teeth. In so doing, you will achieve savings of more than 8 litres every time and up to 6,000 litres per year.

Do you think everyday batteries can be discarded like regular garbage? You should know that they contain lead and mercury, and that cleaning products contain poisons that contaminate the water. Check your area for special recovery sites where you can drop off hazardous household waste.

If you want to make a good impression after a meal, compost your food waste instead of using a kitchen sink disposal unit which consumes 4 litres of water per minute. In so doing, you will make a very good fertilizer for your garden.

To avoid losing water from splashing, do not fill your swimming pool higher than 15 centimetres from edge.

Do you think that recycled paper only helps to save trees? It also reduces by 35% the water pollution that comes from manufacturing paper, not to mention the more than 26,500 litres of water needed to produce one ton of it.

A watering hose puts out 1,000 litres of water per hour which is equivalent to the amount of water a person drinks in 3 years. Is it really necessary to remind you that your grass does not need to be watered every day?

Your toilet is not a garbage disposal. Do not throw your trash in it! Household cleaning products, paint, solvents and other chemical products can be harmful to the environment. Wasting drinking water is equivalent to throwing money down the drain. A message from RÉSEAU environnement.

By taking simple steps, we can really reduce water consumption. Did you know that a standard faucet discharges approximately 13.5 litres of water per minute? Therefore, when brushing your teeth, it would be preferable to shut the faucet! In doing so, you could save more than 6,000 litres of water per year.

Thaw frozen food in the refrigerator or the microwave rather under running water. Wasting drinking water is equivalent to throwing money down the drain. A message from RÉSEAU environnement.

Cut back on the use of chemical products for your lawn and toxic chemicals for your garden. Sooner or later, they will contaminate the water and, who knows, perhaps even your municipal water supply.

Cover your swimming pool with a solar blanket. It will maintain the water temperature at a respectable level, prevent water loss through evaporation and keep your pool cleaner!

Did you know that, every day, 60 million cubic metres of water are required to meet our energy needs in Canada? Reducing energy consumption saves water.

Insulate your hot water pipes. You’ll waste less water before obtaining the desired temperature. A message from RÉSEAU environnement.

During dry spells, it’s better to keep grass cut at a height of 6 to 7 centimetres (2 to 3 inches) because it does a better job of retaining moisture. Also, by leaving clippings on the ground, the grass can better resist droughts and, at the same time, serve as a fertilizer!

Instead of washing your car with a hose, use a bucket of water and soap. Then, use a hose with a spray gun for the final rinse. You could save approximately 300 litres of water!

A leak that fills a cup in 10 minutes will waste 8,000 litres of water per year. To find out if your toilet leaks, put a few drops of food colouring into the tank and if, after 15 minutes, the colour appears in the toilet, you have a leak.

If you have pet fish at home, when cleaning the tank, consider using the aquarium water on your plants. It is rich in nitrogen and phosphorous and constitutes an excellent, low cost fertilizer!

Use detergents that do not contain phosphates because they promote the growth of algae and reduce the amount of oxygen in our lakes, marshes and waterways.

RÉSEAU environnement wishes to remind you that, in July, grass enters into dormancy. Consequently, it must not be fertilized and watering should be kept to a minimum. Remember that 85% of landscape problems are the result of over-watering.

If you’re not sure whether or not your grass needs watering, use a soil moisture indicator that can be purchased at most garden supply outlets.

If you have a sprinkler system that automatically waters the lawn for you, don’t forget to turn it off in bad weather or when rain is forecast.

Are you preparing vegetables for dinner? Scrub them with a brush over a pan instead of needlessly running water from the tap.

Water conservation does not imply lowering your standard of living by depriving yourself of water. It just means taking small steps to reduce waste.

Did you know that it is generally recommended that you water your lawn only once a week until the soil is well soaked? In so doing, the roots will grow deeper and your grass will be more resilient.

Lay mulch around the base of trees and plants to help retain moisture, achieve significant water savings and prevent the appearance of weeds.

When washing dishes by hand, avoid letting the water run. Instead, use two sinks, one to wash the dishes and the other to rinse. A bowl filled with warm water can also serve as a substitute for the second sink.

If you have long hair and need to spend many minutes under the shower to wash it, consider using a low-flow showerhead to cut back on the amount of water used when lathering up and still maintain the same water temperature.

Collecting rain water in a barrel is another efficient way of conserving water, given that you can use it to water your flowers!

Separate collection of recyclables

Household garbage collection

Wastewater treatment

Drinking water supply

Water Savings Program