3 Easy Ways to Reuse Water

Canada has a bountiful supply of freshwater, accounting for 11.7% of the country's total area, according to Stats Canada.  Despite having such a large amount of water available, it is important to be mindful of the amount of water used, as water is not an easily replenished resource. Currently, the average amount of potable water used per person in Canada every single day is 466 litres! With that in mind, here are three easy ways that every individual can reuse water in their home to reduce this gigantic number.

1. Place a Bucket in the Shower

Let's be honest, nobody gets in the shower after immediately turning it on. Since it takes a while for the water to get warm, most people aren't crazy about hopping into the cold. An easy way to save that cold, potable water is to place a bucket in the shower while waiting for it to get warm. The water collected in the bucket can now be used to flush the toilet by slowly pouring about 4 litres of the reused water into the toilet bowl. Flushing a toilet can use anywhere between 6 to 14 litres of water each time. Therefore, the ability to subsidize water by flushing the toilet with cold shower water minimizes the total amount of water used in a household.

Source: Giphy 

2. Pasta or Vegetable Water to Water Your Plants

Cooking pasta takes about 16 cups of boiling water for a family of four people. Normally, when the pasta is done, the next step is to use a colander over the sink to drain all the water. Instead of draining the pasta water into the sink, why not save it by putting the colander on top of another pot? The pasta water is full of starch which plants will love due to the added nutrition. This is what I call a win-win situation: more nutritious water for your plant and a smaller water footprint for you.

3. Install a Rain Barrel Under the Gutter

When it rains, rainwater is normally sent down the drain and left unused. That means that using rainwater is free and that it does not take any special plumbing for you to use. Installing a rain barrel underneath the downspout of your rain gutter is the perfect way to capture rain water -- and there will be lots of it. Edmonton receives an average of 80 litres/m² each summer month with June and July being the rainiest months. A great way to use all of this captured rainwater is to use it to water your lawn, as watering the lawn can be one of the most water-intensive activities during the summer months.

Water is a super precious natural resource. Every time we find a way to reuse it, we minimize our everyday impact, leading to a more sustainable way of life. If you have any other ways to reuse water, please comment down below!

-Dolly (volunteer)