Responsible water use benefits you as a homeowner, as well as your community.
In this article, we’ll discuss some benefits of responsible water use.
1. Responsible water softener use
At WaterSmart, we have almost 30 years of experience in the water softener and plumbing industry, and we'd love to share our expertise with you. Contact us today!
1. Responsible water softener use
We’ve talked extensively in the past about the benefits of installing a water softener in your home.
Environmentally speaking, though, we need to talk about responsible water use and softening hot water only.
According to the Region of Waterloo, your water softener will use about 65 percent less salt and water when you soften hot water only.
An average family of three can save 108 kg of salt and 8,800 litres of water per year by softening hot water only, which amounts to an $84 value per year.
Using less salt and water obviously cuts down on personal costs, but it’s also good for the environment.
Water softener salt ends up in the water system and can be harmful to plants and animals. Plus, conserving water makes sure everyone has enough and reduces the energy required to treat it.
Save money by only softening hot water.
2. Outdoor watering
Watering your grass or gardens, filling pools and washing cars can quickly increase your water use and your water bill.
Watering 10 minutes every day with a hose nozzle uses 4,500 litres of water per month and adds about $25 to your monthly water bill, according to the Region of Waterloo.
Softening that water adds further costs and has further environmental repercussions, as we saw above.
The good news is that if you have a bypass valve, and most quality water softeners do have one, then you can choose to put your water softener in bypass and just use hard water.
Many municipalities encourage responsible water use by limiting the times you’re allowed to water your grass, especially in the middle of summer.
Using a rain barrel reduces stress on municipal water systems. They also help divert water from paved surfaces keeping water cleaner and reducing stress on stormwater infrastructure during rainstorms.
Be careful when and how often you water your grass.
3. Reusable water bottle
If you are a frequent water drinker, purchasing large, refillable bottles is a great option.
It’s much more environmentally friendly and it is a fraction of the price of individual bottled water or other beverages.
Even though plastic water bottles can be recycled, only about 70% of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles - the type that can be recycled - are recycled by Canadians according to the Canadian Beverage Association.
Additionally, It takes manufacturers up to 3 litres of water to make 1 litre of bottled water if you count the amount of water that's needed to make the plastic bottle to hold it.
The top 5 options for drinking water are as follows:
If you are looking for the most economical and convenient option for drinking water, then tap water is your winner.
Click the image to learn more about responsible water use.
4. Check for leaks
Responsible water use involves being in tune with your home.
Leaks, for example, can be costly in terms of both water loss and the cost of repairs.
Your toilet can silently leak up to 330 litres a day; about $50 a month in lost water. In many cases, replacing the flapper can be an easy fix. If you haven't changed the toilet flapper in several years, it is worth checking for a possible leak.
How to check if the toilet flapper is leaking
Add a few drops of food colouring to the tank of the toilet
Wait 15 to 20 minutes
Look in the toilet bowl and If you see food colouring, you have a leak.
Flush the toilet to avoid staining
Dripping faucets and other leaks can add up over time. Make sure you’re on top of them quickly.
Responsible Water Use with WaterSmart
WaterSmart has been serving the Waterloo region including, Kitchener, Cambridge, Guelph, Brantford, and surrounding areas since 1994.
We are committed to helping you improve the quality of your home's water.
We live and work in the Kitchener-Waterloo region so we understand the hard water challenges of this area.
We know how to install and program your water softener for maximum efficiency and are familiar with the types of water softener repairs that you might need.
Our water softener installation service includes the following.
Deliver your new water softener
Install the new water softener and hook it up to any necessary plumbing
Replace an existing water softener in the same location within the home
Set up and program the softener unit
Remove the old water softener free of charge - unless it is a rental unit
Test to ensure proper operation
Demonstrate how the unit works & how much salt to add regularly
Clean up the job site
Additionally, WaterSmart’s plumbing services include but are not limited to the following:
Kitchens and bathrooms
Leaks
Toilets and taps
Clogged or slow drains
Countertop pre and post installation
Dishwasher installations
Water softener installations
Sump pumps
Tankless hot water heaters
New plumbing and renovations
We will gladly come and fix any water or plumbing-related issue you are experiencing, at a reasonable price.
Contact WaterSmart today to talk to one of our water systems experts.
“We had Watersmart systems replace a main water shut off valve and replace an old water softener. They handled everything from start to finish exactly as promised. They contacted the city directly to shut off the water as needed and were on time and prompt with the install. Technician was professional and did a great job with the install. The completed project is perfect, I would highly recommend using Watersmart Systems and Plumbing!”
