This article is written by Geoff Peach, of The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation. It first appeared in the Centre’s March 2013 e-newsletter, released this week. The Goderich-based non-profit charity advocates wise stewardship of Lake Huron’s coastal ecosystems. To learn more about the Centre and sign up for its e-newsletter, please visit online.
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March 22 is World Water Day. It’s a day to sit back and reflect on how we use water. In fact, take it one step further – Environment Canada has a “Water Calculator” to allow you to calculate how much water you typically use.
North Americans are notorious water hogs. We consume water like it’s, well, water. We who live next to the Great Lakes have this water abundance that is the envy of the world. When we stand on a beach, we look out over a seeming endless sea of fresh water. But compared with other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) nations, Canada ranks second in the amount we consume on a per capita basis (U.S. is first).
Not surprising. On any given day we can see signs of water waste. Probably even in our own homes. I remember walking down the street last summer, in the midst of a drought, and seeing the odd island of green lawn. [That’s right, water-hog neighbours, you’re busted!] In the middle of a hot dry summer, people were still obsessing on having the perfect lawn. This disconnect between water as a precious resource and excessive water use is remarkable.
We tend to undervalue this resource, we tend to overuse it and, in some cases, abuse it. There is a price for it: billions and billions of dollars to clean up or prevent pollution. Sooner or later it presents us with a bill. In many cases we pay less than the actual cost of processing and delivery.
Evaluating our overuse of water begins at home. Compared to other countries, we pay very little to have water delivered to our kitchen and bathroom faucets. Canadian households use twice as much water as European ones and pay less than half as much for it.
(Source: Environment Canada)
Rural residents connected to a municipal water system have a higher per capita use of water than urban residents (StatsCan). What’s unnerving about this statistic is that many rural residents operate private septic systems. That’s why we’ve been appealing for years to Lake Huron (and Georgian Bay) cottagers to conserve water use. Overtaxing a septic system can not only reduce its lifespan, but contribute to the nutrient enrichment of groundwater and the lake. (Nutrients feed plants like algae).
For a well operating septic system, it’s important to minimize water use in order to keep solid sludge well settled on the bottom of the tank. Excessive water flowing into the septic tank, from overuse of toilets, laundry, dishwasher, showers, and baths, can cause the sludge to be disturbed and allow the solids to pass out of the tank and into your distribution box. These solids can clog your distribution box, your drainfield pipes and even your drainfield. ( LBW) Avoid excess water use. Using too much water is the single biggest reason for system malfunction. (OSU)
This World Water Day, give some thought to your own water use. It may be time to reconsider your relationship with water, and the Great Lakes.
More on Canadian water consumption.
Participate in Canada Water Week – March 18-24.
