Quick Facts Affordability Cost Savings CO2 Reduction		The best way to save money when it comes to water use is simply to reduce the overall amount of water you use. This will not only save money on water, but will also affect your energy costs as you will require less energy to heat water. In the kitchen, there are many things you can do to use water more efficiently. Affordability Conserving water in the kitchen generally requires only moderate changes in your water use habits. Once you get accustomed to doing things a little bit differently, you will enjoy a functioning kitchen and feel good about not wasting water and money. Cost savings Installing a low-flow aerator on your kitchen sink could save you $28 per year in hot water costs. Environmental considerations Turning off faucets when not required saves energy and water. If 10,000 B.C. households shut off kitchen faucets when not in use, we could save 130 million litres of water per year. The energy savings would be equivalent to the energy needed to power 100 average Canadian homes for one year.

What you need to know

Washing dishes

• Only run your dishwasher when you have a full load.
• If you are considering purchasing a new dishwasher, look for a water and energy efficient ENERGY STAR® model. 
• If you are going to hand wash dishes, do not let the tap water run at full pressure. If you have two sinks, fill one with soap for washing and the other with clean water for rinsing. If you do not have two sinks, run the tap at low pressure for rinsing.

Other good tips to reduce water use in the kitchen

• Do not let the water run while cleaning produce. Rinse your fruits and vegetables in a pot and use the leftover water to water your plants.
• Do not keep water running when cleaning the counter/stove/fridge etc.
• Install a low-flow aerator on your faucet. Using faucet aerators can save up to 40% of the water used for hand washing. If an aerator is already installed on your faucet, it will have its rated flow imprinted on the side. This should read 2.75 gpm (gallons per minute) or lower.  If the flow is more than 2.75 gpm, you should replace it with a low-flow aerator. If no aerator is installed, check to see if there are threads just inside the tip of the faucet. Most modern faucets are threaded to accept aerators.
• Use only the amount of water you need to cook or make tea/coffee.
• Keep a jug of drinking water in the fridge instead of running the tap for cold water.
• Do not defrost frozen food under running water. Plan ahead and defrost in the refrigerator or in a single pot of water instead.
• Compost kitchen garbage waste instead of throwing it down the garbarator. Garbarators use hundreds of litres of water each week, greatly increasing the load for water treatment facilities. If you use your garbage disposal, use only cold water when running it. This saves hot water and solidifies grease, which is then ground up and washed down the drain.  Vermicomposting (worm composting) can be ideal for apartment dwellers or small offices that want to derive some of the benefits of composting and reduce solid waste. It is frequently used in schools to teach children conservation and recycling.

Drink tap water

• Bottled water, not sold as mineral or spring water, is water from any source, for example municipal water or well water than can be treated to make it fit for human consumption.  Many of the bottled water companies simply use municipal tap water in conjunction with a filtration system.
• The plastic used for water bottles may leach plasticizer chemicals, such as phthalates into the water. Research shows that common phthalates may cause kidney and liver damage and some are listed as carcinogenic and reproductive toxins under California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment – Prop. 65. A reproductive toxin may adversely affect male reproductive tract development.

FAQ

Is it safe to drink tap water in British Columbia?
Yes. The B.C. government is committed to ensuring safe, reliable and accessible drinking water for all British Columbians. Health Canada’s regulations and testing guidelines pertaining to municipal drinking water are more stringent than those for the bottled water industry. Through the Provincial Drinking Water Protection Act, representative samples are collected regularly to monitor various sources and system water quality. More information can be found here.