Lower your utility bill with these water saving tips

Summer just started and we’re already on our second heat wave. One thing that happens during the summer is that everyone’s water use goes up. So we’re sharing a few tricks to help you save water at home this summer.

The City of Toronto issued a statement recently about how the summer heat can affect your water use and utility bill.

“The first step is to become more aware of our water use habits,” says Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 25 Don Valley West), Chair of the City’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. “This is important as water usage can increase by 15% to 20% during the summer due to activities such as lawn and garden care.”

The City also says that a 1.5 mm hole in a water pipe can add $13 a day to your utility bill, so it’s important to make sure you have no leaks and all your pipes are in perfect working order. Anyone who receives a utility bill from the City of Toronto can use the MyWaterToronto tool to track your water usage.  

Here are a few creative ways to save water this summer:

Select the right plants

If you’re buying new plants for your home garden, then make sure you pick native, drought-tolerant plants. A few examples are yarrow, hellebore, and irises. You can also use a rain gauge to keep track of rainfall, that way you know whether or not you even need to water your plants.

Make use of extra water

When you run the water for a shower, we bet you leave it running while it heats up. That water is just going down the drain and you’re paying for it. While waiting for the water to heat up, let the water run into a bucket, then you can use it for watering plants! Same thing for pasta. Instead of draining it down the sink, empty the water into another pot, and then once it’s cool, it can be used in your garden.

Keep a jug of water in the fridge

When it’s boiling outside, your body is screaming at you for an ice-cold glass of water. We bet you are guilty of letting the water run until it’s the coldest it can get before actually drinking any of it. Do you know how much water you just wasted? It’s way more cost efficient and less wasteful to fill a jug of water and keep it cold in the fridge.

Change your lawn mower settings

You’re likely cutting your grass as short as it can go in order to put more days in between you and the tiresome chore. If saving water is a priority, then adjust the mower to keep the blades of grass 2.5” to 3” long after the cut. The longer blades help roots retain water, so your lawn will require less watering.

We hope these easy water waving tips help lower your utility bills this summer!