March is water month at the City of Greater Sudbury!
This month-long celebration coincides with World Water Day on March 22, an annual United Nations observance dedicated to highlighting the importance of fresh water.
Canada adopted the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda for 2030, which defines goals to protect and restore clean water resources. These include:
- Universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all
- Adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all
- Improved water quality by reducing pollution, eliminating dumping, minimizing the release of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and substantially increasing recycling and safe reuse
- Increased water-use efficiency across all sectors and sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater
- Protection and restoration of water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.
These sustainable development pillars for water are vital to effective climate change adaptation.
Fix a Leak Week: third week of March
Did you know that a single leaky faucet that drips at the rate of one drop per second can waste more than 11,400 litres of water per year? That’s the same amount of water used to take more than 180 showers.
Fix a Leak Week encourages us to be mindful of water conservation and is sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense® program. All across North America, municipalities are hunting down leaks and searching for solutions.
It matters because the handling of water and wastewater—the processing, distribution and collection—is the most energy-intensive of any municipal operation. Any treated water that is lost due to leaks equates to a loss of energy as well.
If you have a leak, your water use increases and will remain elevated until it’s fixed, which will affect your water consumption charges. This can be quite costly and result in higher-than-usual water bills, so addressing any leaks will save you money. It’s also important that we all do our part to minimize water loss from leaks to align with the Community Emissions and Emergency Plan’s (CEEP) commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Nearly 2.2 billion people around the world are currently living without access to safe water, making it even more important that we conserve and protect one of earth’s most precious natural resources. (World Water Day, United Nations)
We can all develop positive habits that reduce water wastage. Here are some examples:
Test your toilet for leaks
Is your toilet costing you money? An old or worn-out flapper is the typical culprit. Different causes could be at work and some repairs may require the assistance of a licensed plumber.
To help Greater Sudbury residents save water and money—and determine if they have any leaks in need of fixing—a no-cost toilet leak testing kit is available at all City of Greater Sudbury library locations throughout the month of March.
Easy leak test:
- Step 1: Carefully remove the toilet tank lid.
- Step 2: Place one dye strip in the toilet tank. It will dissolve.
- Step 3: Replace the tank lid and wait 20 minutes. Do not flush during this time.
- Step 4: After 20 minutes, check your toilet bowl. If the water remained clear, it’s good news! Your toilet doesn’t leak. If the water in the toilet bowl has changed colours, your toilet is leaking. Flush the toilet to remove the dye.
NOTE: Alternatively, you can place 10-20 drops of food colouring inside your toilet tank in place of the dye strips to perform a leak test. Red or green food colouring works best.
Become a leak detective
Leaks can cost you up to 14 per cent of your annual household water bill—and no one wants to pay for water they don’t use. Address the leaks, save money and help the environment.
To check for overall leaks in your home, use your water meter. It’s one of the best ways to determine if something is amiss. It uses real-time data that can help you understand your water use, and will notify you of any unusual consumption, which could indicate leaks. New technology connects meters to outdoor transmitters that send readings wirelessly and directly to Greater Sudbury Utilities.
If you suspect you have a leak, you will need to put on your detective hat and try to locate the source. The most likely culprits are:
- toilets
- faucets
- showerheads
- service lines
- sprinkler systems
This helpful leak guide, based on information from the EPA, can help you pinpoint possible sources throughout your home.
World Water Day: March 22, 2024
World Water Day on March 22 has been raising awareness about the importance of clean water since 1993. One of its goals is to take action against the global water crisis.
“As climate change impacts increase, and populations grow, there is an urgent need, within and between countries, to unite around protecting and conserving our most precious resource. This World Water Day, we all need to unite around water and use water for peace, laying the foundations of a more stable and prosperous tomorrow.” — World Water Day | United Nations
Water-saving strategies
Individuals can make water-saving choices every day. To help households reduce water consumption, conservation authorities recommend strategies to “reduce, repair and retrofit”.
Reduce
- Be aware of your water use and consider ways to use less.
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or washing your hands.
- Keep a jug of water in the fridge instead of running the tap to get cold water.
- Don’t use running water to thaw food. For water efficiency and food safety, defrost food in the refrigerator.
- Shorten your shower by a minute or two and you’ll save up to 550 litres per week.
- Cut grass to a higher level (5-8 cm). Taller grass shades the roots and holds soil moisture better than short grass.
- Avoid children’s recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water; consider a small kiddie pool instead.
- Water vegetable gardens in the morning or evening, near the roots and by hand.
Repair
- Locate and repair leaks to save water and money, and to prevent potentially costly property damage.
- Check for toilet leaks, as mentioned above.
- Check for leaks in pipes and fittings.
Retrofit
- Install water-saving devices on existing fixtures and select water-efficient devices when replacing older, water-guzzling fixtures and appliances.
- Low-flow showerheads can save up to 7.5 litres of water per minute.
- Faucet aerators can reduce water use by 25 per cent.
- Older toilets use about 20 litres per flush. Consider installing a low-flow toilet that uses only six litres.
Contest alert!
The City of Greater Sudbury will be launching two exciting contests via social media in March—one for Fix a Leak Week and the other for World Water Day. There are some great prizes up for grabs and residents are encouraged to participate for a chance to win.
Love puzzles? Fill out the Fix a Leak Week crossword puzzle by March 31, submit your answers to the City and you will be entered into a draw to win your choice of:
- 2 season tickets to the Sudbury Wolves!
or
- 2 season tickets to the Sudbury Five!
The winner will be announced on April 3, 2024.
Helpful hint: If you happen to get stumped on one of the crossword questions, the City’s water conservation web page and stormwater web page would be good places to look for answers!
Please note that contest submissions are limited to one entry per person.
Share photographs you’ve taken of local Greater Sudbury lakes, rivers, streams or creeks by using the hashtag #CGSWorldWaterDay2024 on Facebook, X or Instagram.
Post your photos with the hashtag between March 1 to 20, 2024. A winner will be chosen and announced on the City’s social media platforms on World Water Day, March 22, 2024.
The lucky winner will receive:
This prize includes unlimited canoe, kayak and paddle board rentals during the Crowley Lake Outpost season.
If you have a project you’d like the City to highlight, contact Jennifer Babin-Fenske at [email protected].