Water is essential for life and health. We need water for farming, industry, bathing and cleaning.

Ontarians are among the highest water users in the world.  The average residential water user in Ontario uses 225 litres of water per day.  In comparison, many European countries such as Germany and the U.K. use less than 150 litres of water per capita per day.  

With a growing population and a warming planet, the demand on water is increasing, but our supply isn’t. So, what can we do to help make sure we have enough water? Here are easy tips that everybody can follow to reduce our water consumption and protect the water we have:

At home:

• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth, washing your hands, or lathering up in the shower.
• Don’t rinse dishes under the tap before loading the dishwasher. Simply scrape the food bits off and put about an inch or two of water in your sink, just enough to cover a plate. Soak the item in the water before putting it in the dishwasher.
• Only run the dishwasher or washing machine with full loads. You’ll save electricity too.
• Washing dishes by hand: fill the sink or a bowl with soapy hot water for washing and then fill the sink (or bowl) with clean water for rinsing. Don’t run the tap constantly while washing or rinsing.
• Repair leaky faucets.
• Dispose of hazardous chemicals properly rather than putting them down the drain and avoid harsh chemicals.

Outside:

• Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater from your downspout. You can use this water for your garden or plants.
• Water your lawn or garden in the morning when needed. Watering when the day is hot means you’ll lose water to evaporation.
• Go to the car wash. Car washes are equipped to deal with the dirty and soapy water that comes off your car (with exhaust, gas, oil and more). Washing your car in the driveway means it goes directly into our lakes, rivers and streams.

When renovating or buying new appliances:

• Choose Energy Star-rated appliances that save water and electricity.
• Choose low-flow faucets and showerheads. They can give you the same pressure with 25 - 60 per cent less water.
• Choose low-flow or dual flush toilets. Toilets use the largest amount of water in the home. New models create more water pressure with less water for a cleaner flush.

Be aware of your water use. Check out our section on water for more information. And remember that everything is connected — whatever you do to reduce toxics helps keep our water clean. When you fight climate change, you help prevent water lost to higher global temperatures.