Tips to Save Water This Summer

In response to the recent heat wave, Toronto Water is reminding residents that there are steps they can take to conserve water and reduce their utility bill during summer, the season of highest water use.
 
Toronto Water customers can use the City of Toronto's online water use tool, MyWaterToronto, to better understand their water use and to learn about strategies to save water and money. MyWaterToronto can even be used to check for leaks, which tend to add up very quickly when water usage is high. According to Carlo Casale, Manager of Customer Care at Toronto Water, even a small 1.5-millimetre hole in a pipe can add more than $13 to your utility bill each day.
 
Customers who receive a utility bill can access the tool by visiting http://www.toronto.ca/mywatertoronto and entering their utility account information. The tool can be used to track water use by day, week, month or year.
 
In addition to fixing leaks, other ways to save water during the summer include:

• Using rainwater to water your grass and gardens.
• Planting native plants and trees, which are low maintenance and naturally drought-tolerant.
• Sweeping sidewalks and driveways clean instead of using a running hose.
• Using a rain gauge to keep track of rainfall – healthy lawns only need 2.5 centimetres of water once a week.
  • If you have an irrigation system, set your system to come on once or twice a week, or install rain sensors.
• Watering lawns in the morning to reduce evaporation.
  • Laying mulch can also help retain moisture and insulate roots from heat stress.
• Setting your lawn mower to cut 6 to 7.5 centimetres - mowing high helps to strengthen the roots and retain water and nutrients.
• Keeping a jug of water in the fridge instead of running the tap to draw cold drinking water.

 For more water conservation tips, visit http://www.toronto.ca/water.