Canada is said to be a water-rich country with a seemingly endless supply of fresh water. With so much water available to us, this precious resource is commonly taken for granted. As often is the case, it is not until problems arise that we as a society stop to think about the topic. In recent years, problems relating to water in Ontario have been making headlines across the province. As a result, the condition of our water supply today and in the future is of great concern.

Ensuring that everyone in Ontario has access to safe, clean water is not only the responsibility of public agencies, but also the responsibility of the public themselves.

Simply put, “the volume of fresh water on the Earth’s surface is fixed: it can be neither increased or decreased. It follows, then, that as populations grow, less and less water is available per person.” ¹ With less and less water available, not only is it important to protect the resource at the source, but also it is important to consider how we use it as individuals. For example: “A leak of only one drop per second wastes about 9000 litres of water per year.” ² This is the equivalent of flushing the average low-flow toilet 1500 times.

Water conservation can be applied both in your home or outside in the yard. Water saving toilets, showerheads and efficient dishwashers and washing machines can make a huge difference in household water consumption and therefore save you money. Appropriate landscaping, including using native plants, can decrease or even eliminate watering the garden. By disconnecting the downspout from directly entering the stormsewers and adding rain barrels instead, you can have a ready supply of water for your vegetable garden.

Listed below are some resources that explain more simple ways by which we can all help conserve water and the implications if we do not.

Water Conservation Tips.
Durham Region – Water Efficiency
Natural Resources Canada – Energy Star Appliances
Pollution Probe – Water related publications
MOE - Stormwater Pollution Prevention Handbook

¹Robin Clarke and Jannet King, Water Atlas. The New Press, New York and London, 2004.
²Natural Resources Canada, 350 Energy and Money Saving Tips. February 2005 Newspaper Insert.

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