GO GREEN BY REDUCING YOUR WATER CONSUMPTION
A few small changes around the house are a good way to start, writes Heather Faulkner.
Green housing has become front-of-mind for many homeowners lately, and while most of the focus has been on LED lights and high efficiency furnaces, saving water is equally important.
Water consumption is one of the easiest things to manage on a minimal budget, and changing some of our habits — turning off the tap while we rinse the dishes or brush our teeth, or reducing our half-hour showers to 10 minutes — is an easy way to start. From there, consider replacing your old or running toilets with a low-flush toilet. Prices start at about $100, but this simple upgrade can instantly save you money, especially if your current toilet seals are leaking. Ideally, choose a dual-flush unit that uses less water for little jobs and more for the larger ones, while flushing thoroughly the first time. With this simple (and relatively lowcost) change you could reduce your water usage by up to 20 litres per flush.
Replacing your showerheads can be a real money saver too, especially if your current ones are from years gone by. Low-flow showerheads don’t feel like low flow — they pressurize the water for a strong rinse while reducing the overall litres-per-minute. As for your taps, did you know that simply adding an aerator can give you the pressure you desire while lowering the amount of actual water coming out? This is particularly useful in the bathroom, where you don’t need a massive amount of water flow in the sink to brush your teeth and wash your hands.
But water conservation isn’t limited to the bathroom. New front-loading washing machines reduce water consumption by more than half that of their toploading predecessors, with the most efficient reducing energy consumption well below that. That means they are easier on your power bill, while also going easier on your clothes.
Establishing a low-maintenance and drought-tolerant lawn is also a fabulous water-saving tip. These no-fuss, no-muss lawns contain a variety of drought-resistant, slow-growing and low-height species of turf grasses, fescues and wear-tolerant broadleaf species such as clover. They require minimal watering and far less mowing, helping your lawn not only conserve water, but also requiring far less work than a conventional lawn.
If you’re looking to take your water conservation to the next level, many homes in the Edmonton area have been designed with rain collection systems that store and filter rain water, recycling it for toilet flushing and irrigation. These rainwater systems help conserve water while reducing the pressure on the local storm sewer system, and studies have shown that they help produce healthier plants. Generally these systems are inexpensive to maintain, and can vary in size from a rain barrel to a cistern.
Reusing grey water seems to be a no-brainer. Depending on the jurisdiction, grey water systems have predominantly been used for year-round irrigation and help to maintain ground water, and systems have been developed and used in Australia and much of Europe. However, grey water is a complex issue in Alberta, since it’s hard to find a system that can be used yearround during our cold Canadian winters. The ground is frozen for several months of the year, and returning water to the surface would just cause a whole lot of ice.
To this point, there haven’t been any guidelines established for the reclamation systems. The government of Alberta has established the Reclaimed Water Working Group to develop appropriate regulations, including water quality and technical standards to facilitate the safe use of reclaimed wastewater in Alberta. Once this has been established, we can look forward to utilizing the water that goes down the drain when we shower to possibly water our lawns or flush our toilets.