City of Toronto offers tips to save water this summer
The City of Toronto is reminding residents that there are steps they can take to conserve water and reduce their utility bill during the summer, the season of highest water use.
"The first step is to become more aware of our water use habits," said 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 per cent during the summer due to activities such as lawn and garden care."
Toronto Water customers can use the City of Toronto's online water use tool, MyWaterToronto, to better understand their water use and to consider ways to save water and money. Customers who receive a utility bill can access the tool by visiting http://www.toronto.ca/mywatertoronto and entering their utility account information. The tool can be used to track water use by day, week, month or year.
The MyWaterToronto tool can also be used to track water usage to check for leaks. A small 1.5-millimetre hole in a pipe can add more than $13 to a utility bill each day. Investigate prolonged increases in water usage immediately and make the necessary repairs to avoid increased utility charges.
Other ways to save water during the summer include:
• Plant native plants and trees, which are low maintenance and naturally drought-tolerant
• Use a rain gauge to keep track of rainfall – healthy lawns only need 2.5 centimetres of water once a week. If using an irrigation system, set the system to come on only once or twice a week, or install rain sensors
• Water lawns and gardens in the morning to reduce evaporation. Mulch can also help retain moisture and insulate roots from heat stress
• Set the lawn mower to cut 6 to 7.5 centimetres (2.5 to 3 inches). Mowing high helps to strengthen the roots and retain water and nutrients
• Do not run the tap to draw cold drinking water, instead keep a jug of water in the fridge.
More water conservation tips are available at http://www.toronto.ca/water.
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