Being Wise ... with Water!

The City of Camrose believes that helping our residents become more water efficient is an important goal. Toward that end, we are pleased to provide this water-saving information guide. We sincerely hope you find the information contained in it to be both informative and useful. Helping our customers become more water efficient is one of our primary goals.

In addition, our public education program informs people about local water issues such as conservation, water treatment and watershed protection.

Conservation is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as a noun meaning, "the official care and protecting of natural resources." Conservation does not mean to curtail water use, but to eliminate waste and use our water resource in an efficient manner. The idea of "doing more with less" applies very well to conservation.

It is easy to take water for granted. Whenever we turn on the tap, water comes out - pure, clean, drinkable water. What most of us don't realize is that every drop of water that comes out of the tap has been taken from nature, and carefully treated to remove impurities and make it safe for drinking. Processing all that water is an expensive job.

Fresh water is essential for life on this planet. Did you know that 97% of the Earth's water is contained in our oceans; an additional 2% is locked up in glaciers and icecaps; and less than one half of one percent is available as fresh water. It is this small amount that supplies nature, and keeps all of the world's agricultural, manufacturing, community, personal, household and sanitation needs operating.

Much of that fresh water goes onto our lawn, into washing machines and dishwashers and down toilets and drains. You pay for every drop whether you drink it or flush it, or even if it leaks from your taps and/or toilets.

When you save water, you are also saving on other services at the same time. It is a win-win situation. When you use less hot water, less energy is needed to heat that water which lowers your gas bill. You can also reduce your wastewater bill by reducing the amount of water you use.

But that's not all. By following some simple steps, you are helping the environment, easing the burden on water storage, purification, distribution, and our water treatment plant. Try to do one thing each day that will result in saving water. Every drop counts. You can make a difference!!

You have a stake in the future of your water!

Water isn't just used - it is recycled and reused. Eventually the same water that is flushed down our toilets or poured down our drains returns to Dried Meat Lake. To ensure that the water coming out of your taps tomorrow, is clean and of good quality, USE WATER WISELY TODAY.

By using water wisely, you will:

• Preserve the Environment: Fresh water is essential for all life on this planet
  
  
• Save Water: Camrose's water supply is not endless. We are a city that is growing; resulting in increased demand on our limited water treatment plant capacity.
  
  
• Save Money: By using less water, it will cost you less on your water and wastewater portion of your utility bill.
  
  
• Save Energy: It takes a lot of energy to heat water used in showers, laundry, and dish washers. By cutting back your water consumption, you will be cutting back on your energy bills as well.
  
  

Being wise with water begins at home. Water conservation doesn't mean that we have to follow strict rules and cramp our current lifestyles: - it only means being more aware and reducing the amount of water that we waste. By following the tips suggested on this page, you will be able to reduce water waste; reduce water and energy costs (which means more dollars left in your pocket!); and at the same time help to improve the environment.

How much water your family can save will depend on the number of water-using appliances in your home and, most importantly, how you use them. Here are some examples of the money that can be kept in your pocket by following the tips on this page. All cost savings are based on the City of Camrose 2006 water and wastewater rates.

• Bathroom - converting to a low-flow toilet and showerhead could save you 2000 liters a week - a savings of $130 to $140 per year for water and an additional $40 to $50 per year waste water fees.
  
  
• Using a washing machine and dishwasher more efficiently could save you 100 liters a week - a total savings of $5 to $10 per year.
  
  
• Following the tips outlined for the outdoors could result in a savings of about 1 000 liters a week - a savings of about $35 to $40 for the twenty growing weeks.
  
  

In total that is an annual savings of approximately $195 for water and $50 waste water, a total of $245!

Extra cash in your pocket, YES! AND the impact on the environment is huge - a savings of more than 130 000 liters of water per year for each household.

There are many small steps that can add up to big savings in your bathroom. It is where we use - and waste - the most water in our homes.

• Your toilet can be responsible for 90% of all leaks. To find out if your toilet has a leak, drop some food coloring or a leak detector test tablet (available through the City of Camrose or your local hardware store) in your toilet tank and wait. If you see the color flowing into your toilet bowl, you have a water-wasting leak! A leaking toilet can waste more than 400 liters of water each day (an additional $260 of wasted water each year)! Talk to your plumber or hardware store about the many options to correct a leak - everything from a very inexpensive flapper valve to possibly replacing your old toilet with a new low-flow toilet.
  
  
• Check all faucets. A leaky faucet may simply need a new washer. You can also install high-efficiency, low flow faucet aerators available at any local hardware store.
  
  
• Don't use the toilet as a wastebasket for tissues, etc.
  
  
• Never flush paints, solvents, or other chemicals down the toilet. These products are very harmful to the environment, and our water supply. Use durable containers to store these hazardous products and then dispose of them at the BI-ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE ROUNDUP held at the Public Works Yard (4202-51Ave.), every third weekend in June, and every third weekend in October.
  
  
• If the toilet handle frequently sticks in the flush position letting water run constantly, replace or adjust it.
  
  
• Take shorter showers. Research shows that typical showers last for around 8 minutes and have flow rates of around 9 litres/minute. By shortening your shower duration by 1 minute could save you a few extra dollars each year, per person!
  
  
• Replace your showerhead with a low flow version available through the City of Camrose or at any local hardware store.
  
  
• Try placing a bucket in the shower to catch excess water and use this to water plants.
  
  
• Don't let water run away on you. When brushing your teeth or shaving, don't let the tap run. Fill a glass with water for rinsing when brushing your teeth. Rinse your razor by filling the sink with a small amount of warm water.
  
  
• Consider installing an inexpensive on/off control valve to all your showerheads and faucets.
  
  

Indoor Water Saver Kits Available at City Hall, Engineering Department, or City of Camrose Public Works Office.

• Take food out of the freezer early to allow plenty of time to thaw in the fridge. Thawing frozen food under the tap wastes water.
  
  
• Clean fruits and vegetables in a partially filled sink and rinse them quickly.
  
  
• When boiling vegetables, use only enough water to cover the food. Steaming uses even less water while keeping more nutrients in the food.
  
  
• Run your automatic dishwasher only when it is full, and use the energy saver or shortest cycle. Simply reducing the number of dishwasher cycles by 1 each week could save an extra few dollars and that's not even talking about energy costs!
  
  
• When washing dishes by hand, don't let the tap run continuously. Fill the second side of the sink with rinse water.
  
  
• Turn your taps off tightly, but gently so they don't drip.
  
  
• Install an aerator attachment on your sink faucets and reduce water use by 25%.
  
  
• Never put garbage of any kind down the sink drain. Cooking fat and greases, household cleaners, paints, solvents, pesticides and other chemicals can be very harmful to the environment and to your piping system. Use durable containers to store these hazardous products and then dispose of them at the BI-ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE ROUNDUP held at the Public Works Yard (4202-51Ave.), every third weekend in June, and every third weekend in October.
  
  
• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge instead of running the tap until the water gets cool each time you want some. Be sure to rinse the container and change the water every few days.
  
  
• Sink garbage disposals are water wasters! In order for them to work properly, you must run the tap - and that can add up to hundreds of liters a week! Think about composting your kitchen wastes instead.
  
  
• Check faucets for leaks. Leaks waste water 24 hours a day, seven days a week and can often be repaired with an inexpensive washer.
  
  

By following these simple tips, you will not only be saving water, but saving on your energy bills as well.

• An automatic washing machine can use from 150 to 250 liters of water for each cycle. That's about 20% of total indoor water use. Most washers allow you to adjust the amount of water according to the size of the wash load. If yours doesn't, just make sure you have a full load before washing.
  
  
• Use only cleaning products that will not harm the environment.
  
  
• Up to 90% of the energy used for washing clothes goes to heating the water. Try washing your clothes in either warm or cold water. Your clothes will come out just as clean as if you used hot water.
  
  
• If you are looking to buy a new washing machine, make sure you look into the water-efficient ones. Depending on the model, they can use as much as 40% less water!
  
  

The number one way to start saving water is to check for leaks!

To find out if your home has a leak, try this simple test. Read your water meter before you go to bed, then check it first thing when you wake up. (Make sure no one was up in the night having a bathroom break!) If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.

The City of Camrose water meters have a low-flow indicator(see item b in picture) just off to the side of your meter (it looks like a small compass needle). If it is turning when no one is using water, you probably have a leak.

MOST COMMON LEAKS IN THE HOME:

• Drips from faucets - Correct by replacing washers
  
  
• Toilets - drop dye, food coloring or a leak detector test tablet in your toilet tank to check for leaks.
  
  

1/32" Stream wastes 95 liters in 24 hours at a cost of approximately $35.00/year

1/16" Stream wastes 3,791 liters in 24 hours at a cost of approximately $140.00/year

1/8" Stream wastes 1,514 liters in 24 hours at a cost of approximately $550.00/year

Another source of wastage is leaks in toilets. Inspect these two sources of waste for leaks often, and if leaks are discovered, have them repaired at once, as your meter is registering the leakage.

We all want to be the envy of the neighbors with a nice lush lawn and prospering garden. Unfortunately, this is one of the biggest impacts on our water consumption. This doesn't have to be the case. The average city lawn may need about 100,000 liters of water in a growing season. Ironically, we often water overnight only to have it run off down the street or during the day to have it burn off with the sun. How many times have you seen an unattended sprinkler watering a driveway or the sidewalk?

• Water during the cool parts of the day. Early morning after the dew has dried is generally the best time to water rather than dusk, since it helps to prevent growth of fungus. Watering in the early morning also cuts down on losses due to evaporation.
  
  
• When it comes to watering plants and flowerbeds, drip irrigation is the most effective method. With drip irrigation, porous tubes deliver small quantities of water directly to the root zone.
  
  
• If you use a hose to water plants, apply water slowly at the base of each plant - not on the leaves. A soaker hose works great for this.
  
  
• If you use a sprinkler for your lawn, choose the type that spins in a circle. The oscillating types that cycle back and forth apply water in a fine spray straight up part of the time, leading to higher evaporation losses.
  
  
• Water from the sky is free! Take advantage of it by using cisterns, barrels or buckets to collect water for other uses (plants, animals, etc.).
  
  
• Deep soak your lawn. Water long enough for the moisture to soak down to the roots where it will do the most good. A light sprinkling can evaporate quickly and tends to encourage shallow root systems.
  
  
• Position your sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas. Also avoid watering on windy days.
  
  
• Once you have supplied an adequate amount of water to your lawn and garden, you will want to do all you can to keep it in the soil. Incorporating compost is still the best way to regulate soil moisture.
  
  
• Cut your grass tall to provide shade for the roots. Mulch your grass - it slows the evaporation of water from the soil and acts as a fertilizer for the grass.
  
  
• Don't mow your grass more than necessary. Mowing puts the grass under additional stress that requires more water.
  
  
• If your lawn fades in the summer, don't panic! Grass becomes naturally dormant during hot, dry periods. It will revive quickly after a good rainfall or when the weather becomes cooler.
  
  
• Using a running hose to wash your car can waste about 400 liters of water! Use a bucket with a sponge - it will save about 300 liters of water!
  
  
• Use a broom to clean your sidewalks and driveway instead of a hose.
  
  
• When the kids are done using the wading pool, use the water for the lawn, garden or flowers.
  
  
• When landscaping, use drought resistant trees and plants. You can also decorate your patio and lawn very fashionably with decorative rocks, gravel and benches. Check with local garden centers for advice on what to plant.
  
  
• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Mulch will slow evaporation and discourage weed growth too.
  
  
• Keep lawns free of weeds! They will rob your plants of water and nutrients. Also, remember to use pesticides and fertilizers sparingly.
  
  Keep in Mind: Storm sewers are designed to quickly collect and carry rain water to a creek, or pond. As the water is running off, it picks up pollutants such as litter, pet excrement, fertilizer, and pesticides. This polluted water is quickly transported directly into our streams without any treatment. That can end up causing a lot of damage to the environment.
  
  

CAMROSE WATER SYSTEM BILLING

For an explanation of billing for the Camrose Water System, please see our "About Your Utility Bill" page.

	City of CamroseWelcomeVisitorsCommunityAdministrationLeisureEngineeringProtective            We welcome your feedback Updated May 23, 2006