Bathroom

Facts

Did you know that approximately 65 per cent of the water consumption in your home takes place in the bathroom, mainly through toilet flushing and bathing (Environment Canada and Water Efficiency Master Plan).

• If your home was built before 1996 (and you haven't changed your toilet), chances are your toilet is using 13 to 20 litres of water every time you flush
• On average, a person flushes the toilet five times each day, which means that approximately 65 to 100 litres of water per person per day is used just flushing these older toilets
• If you replaced your showerhead before 1996 and you haven't made any upgrades, your shower could be using up to 20 litres of water per minute. For a 10-minute shower, this means you are using 200 litres of water and one bath can use up to 200 litres of water
• Letting the water run while you brush your teeth could use waste as much as 16 litres of water, water that is running straight down the drain (2 minutes x 8.3 litres/min)
• One leaking toilet can waste up to 200,000 litres of water per year

Solutions

Showers and Bathing

Finding a solution to your water (and money) going down the drain isn't difficult. You can save water and energy by taking quick showers instead of baths. That small change could reduce your water consumption by about 50 per cent, depending on the type of showerhead used. If you are not sure the type of showerhead you currently have or its flow rate it is easy to figure out. Simply collect the water coming out of your shower in a container for 10 seconds. Measure the volume of water and multiply by six. This is how much water your showerhead is using every minute. If this value is higher than 9.5 litres, you should consider replacing your fixture. Major water-savings are possible with a simple fixture upgrade. Low-flow showerheads, using 7.57 litres per minute, use up to 60 per cent less water than a standard showerhead while still retaining strong water pressure.

To learn more about how to reduce your water-use in this area please click here to download the Water Efficiency An At-Home Guide for FREE. 

Toilets

Replace your old toilet with a high efficiency toilet (HET) using 4.8 litres per flush or a dual flush model using a maximum of six litres per flush for solids and a half flush of 4.1 litres or less for liquids. 

Changing a 13 litre toilet to a 4.8 litre HET toilet will save an estimated 41 ((13 - 4.8) x 5 = 41) litres per person per day. Even replacing a six litre toilet with a 4.8 HET will save six litres per person per day.

It is estimated that 25 per cent of toilets in Canada are leaking at any given time (Environment Canada). A leaking toilet can waste up to 200,000 litres of water per year, which could add up to a lot of money on your water bill ( Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada). Not all toilet leaks may be obvious. A toilet tank leak differs from other leaks as it is not easily seen or heard. It's wise to regularly check on the efficiency of your toilet by using leak detection tablets. These tablets are available free of charge through Water for Tomorrow at any of our public events. Click here for information on where to find us in your community.

If your toilet is leaking, consult a reputable repair guide or contact a professional for service. If you choose to do the work yourself, be sure to choose parts compatible with your toilet fixture's make and model.

To learn more about how to reduce your water-use in this area please click here to download the Water Efficiency An At-Home Guide for FREE. 

Fact or Myth? Low flow and high efficiency toilets do not work as well as 13 litre toilets.

Myth. It is a common myth that water-efficient toilets require double flushing. While this may have been the case when they were first developed, today's high efficiency toilet flushing at 4.8 litres work extremely well, without the need for double flushing. The Region will only offer rebates on those toilets which have proven performance.

Faucets

If your bathroom is undergoing a renovation, consider replacing your faucet with a low flow faucet. WaterSense^® labelled faucets can reduce water flow by 30 per cent or more, without sacrificing performance (US EPA). If you are not in the market for a new faucet, consider adding an aerator to your existing fixture, which could save you up to 3.5 litres of water per minute. Other ways to reduce water-use include:

• Turn the tap off while you brush your teeth; you can save up to 16 litres of water each time
• Fill the sink rather than letting the water run while shaving, washing vegetables or cleaning dishes by hand
• Keep a cold jug of water in the fridge or use a few ice cubes to cool your water instead of running the tap until the water is cold
• Use the green bin and garbage can for used tissues and dental floss; not only will this save water from unnecessary flushes, these bulky items are not good for our sewage systems as floss can get wrapped around our pump propellers and excessive facial tissues can cause clogging due to their thickness and additives (like lotion)