Water Conservation Tips

Learn everyday changes and long-term investments you can make to conserve water and save money on your water bill in the Town of Blind River.

Free and low-cost options

There are many simple things you can do to save water that cost little or nothing at all, such as:

• Taking shorter showers
• Turning the tap off while brushing your teeth or shaving
• Using the suds saver feature on your washing machine or other appliances
• Using a rain barrel for garden watering
• Refrigerating tap water for drinking rather than running the faucet
• Only using washing machines and dishwashers with full loads
• Turning your water off when leaving for vacation or long periods of time
• Watering your lawn with one inch of water per week, including rainfall, from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. or from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. to minimize evaporation

Plumbing fixture and appliance investments

By investing in more water efficient appliances and fixtures, you can save more water and money on your water bill. Many of these fixtures and appliances use 25% to 50% less water than standard appliances, and can include:

• Low flow shower heads
• Low flow toilets
• Front load washing machines

Preventing leaks

Homeowners are responsible for all internal plumbing repairs and maintenance. You can also invest for the future by maintaining and repairing your existing fixtures and appliances that may have leaks. Leaky and malfunctioning fixtures and appliances are the main culprit of higher-than-normal water bills. A leaky toilet can waste as much as 20 cubic metres of water per day – that's approximately $30 per day!

Check for leaks

To check for leaks, find the “trickle indicator”, a small red or black triangle on your water meter. Turn off any running water in your house or building, and check to see if the trickle indicator is turning, moving or shaking.  If it is, you probably have a leak somewhere.

To check if your toilet is leaking, lift the lid off of its water tank and add in some food colouring or brewed tea or coffee. Leave it for 20 minutes without flushing the toilet. If colour appears in the toilet bowl, your toilet's rod-and-ball assembly or flapper needs adjustment or replacement.