Reduce your water consumption: simple, effective tips

Tips and tricks

Find out how to reduce your water consumption at home with easy tips, while saving on your bills and helping to preserve this important resource.

General water-saving tips

• Keep a pitcher of water in the fridge and avoid letting the water run so that it gets cold.
• Washing dishes by machine rather than by hand uses 4 times less water.
• Optimize the use of your appliances by filling your dishwasher and washing machine to the maximum before running them.
• Upgrade your toilet with a dual-flush or low-flow (6-litre) model.
• Don’t let the water run unnecessarily when washing up, etc.
• Take a shower rather than a bath: a shower uses much less water.
• Reduce your time in the shower by turning off the water while soaping up to limit wastage.
• Water your lawn efficiently by following the schedules prescribed in regulation REG-1327 and watering in the evening.
• Maintain an eco-friendly lawn by choosing sustainable options that require less water.
• Use a broom instead of a garden hose to clean your driveway.
• Set your water heater to 50°C to save energy.
• Turn off the main water tap (near the meter) during long absences.
• Observe whether your water meter has changed overnight. If so, there’s a leak.

Bathroom tips

The bathroom is responsible for 60% of domestic water consumption. Adopt these two key gestures to make a difference:

1. Install a low-flow showerhead

• A standard showerhead consumes up to 14 liters of water per minute.
• A WaterSense-approved showerhead can cut this consumption in half, saving up to 40,000 liters of water a year.

2. Detecting and sealing leaks

• Leaks, often due to faulty taps or toilets, account for 14% of water used in the home.
• To detect a leak :
  • Take note of the figures on your water meter before you go to bed or to work, and when there’s no water use for a few hours.
  • In the morning or when you return from work, take another meter reading.
  • A discrepancy probably indicates a leak that needs to be located and repaired.

Protect the water network by adopting the right gestures

Your toilets, sinks and storm drains are not garbage cans. Disposal of inappropriate waste in the wastewater system leads to :

• Reduced treatment efficacy;
• Reduced quality of discharged water;
• Increased risk of sewer backup;
• Additional costs for processing solids and contaminants;
• A potential increase in river pollution.

By adopting good habits, everyone can help preserve this essential resource.