Water Use
In my opinion, individuals should look at ways that they can conserve water at home and in their workplace. If there is an opportunity to save water then they should take it because it contributes to water conservation but will save them money in the long run. Whether its simply turning off water when not using it, storing drinking water, or installing water reducing devices such as toilets and faucets. If people also talked to their employers about ways to reduce water use and cut down on their water uses employers might be willing to make the switches as well.
In a larger perspective for cities and metering, the Action H20 Water Sustainability Charter representing the commitment of municipal councils across Canada to achieving water conservation goals. The goals stated in this charter are for each municipality to agree to the following:
• Recognize that water supply is limited and commit to living within our local water budget.
• Recognize that water sensitive development and water conservation will lead to environmental health benefits which have positive impacts for individuals, families and communities.
• Commit to offsetting all growth in water demands through conservation and will articulate this as a formal goal in our community’s official planning documents.
• Commit to building a local government capacity to plan and implement water conservation initiatives.
• Commit to address governance challenges to better engage the public and enable meaningful local action in pursuit of overall watershed health.
If each municipality signs this charter they are agreeing to work together towards regional and local water conservation efforts. This charter is a way to act locally or regionally as an attempt to conserve Canada’s freshwater as a whole.
Renters vs Owners
According to Statistics Canada’s “Uptake of water- and energy-conservation devices in the home” based on the Households and the Environment Survey (HES) cheaper devices were more popular, owners were more likely to conserve than renters, higher income homes were more likely to conserve, and the longer people dwelled in their home the more likely they were to install water conserving devices.
In my Watershed Management class we discussed the idea of government incentives for individuals, homeowners and landlords. The idea was that with money and ownership being huge factors to installing low flow and low volume devices there should to be some sort of government incentives or assistance provided to individuals.
If individuals are provided with facts on how the water conservation will save them money on a water bill they will be more likely to switch. My aunt says her toilets have saved her a lot of money. There is a program that allows people to recycle old refrigerators why not do the same with toilets, or have hardware stores provide a disposal and discount for those that recycle their old toilets.
Renters were found less likely to have water-conserving devices installed than owners, which is assumed that they may have less freedom than owners. Therefore the government should try to target landlords and apartment building superintendents to purchase and install these devices in their buildings because tenants are less likely to have control over these issues.
If there was a program offering low-flow showerheads and low-volume toilets in bulk amounts at flat or fixed rates landlords would be more likely to have these devices installed in their buildings. Perhaps renters could vote on whether they would like to have these and how it would reduce rent, utility costs, and other building fees.
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