World Water Day – March 22 World Water Day aims to bring awareness to sustainable management of the world’s freshwater resources. We can easily take our water for granted in Canada because it is so accessible. However, the United Nations predicts that in 2025 five billion of the world’s eight billion people will live in areas where water is scarce.

Water is essential for life, we depend on water for drinking, cleaning, and producing food and clothes. Therefore, we must be mindful of our use and reduce pressure on our fresh water resources.

Here are a few ways we as individuals can save water:

1. Eating local seasonal vegetables instead of imported vegetables and meat

2. Install a hot water recirculating system instead of wasting running water while you wait for it to get hot

3. Install low flush or dual flush toilets

4. Check your toilet and faucets for leaks

5. Use your washing machine and dishwasher only when there is a full load

6. Use cold water to wash your clothes

7. Use a basin of water to wash your vegetables and fruits instead of running water and use the water for plants in your home

8. Collecting rainwater for lawn and landscaping purposes

When we are mindful and purposefully trying to conserve water there are many little habits we can adopt and change to make quite a difference.

My parents were always very mindful of our water use growing up to save money as well as resources because they came from tropical countries with frequent water shortages. It took us many years to convince them to allow us to get a blow-up pool in the summer as they felt it was a waste of water. When we finally did and were done playing with it (the novelty only lasted a few days as they predicted) my parents kept the water to water our lawn and wash off patio furniture which was a great way to repurpose all that water!

NATALIE CHAN, B.Sc., B.I.T.  (She/Her)

Environmental Scientist