Water Conservation

The City of St. John’s encourages residents to use water wisely. Water consumption in the St. John’s region increases during the summer, primarily due to the outdoor use of water such as lawn watering and car washing.

There are many things you can do at home to conserve water.

In the Kitchen:

• Scrape your dishes instead of using the pre-wash cycle in the dishwasher.

• When cleaning vegetables, turn the faucet off and rinse them in the sink with the drain closed or in a pan of water.

• If you wash dishes by hand, do not leave the faucet flowing for rinsing. Instead, use a dish rack and spray device. If you have two sinks, fill one to use for rinsing.

• Use a jug to keep water cool in the refrigerator instead of letting the tap run. This can also help improve the taste of your water.

In the bathroom:

• If the shower has a single hand control or shut off valve, turn off the flow while soaping or shampooing.

• Take short showers instead of baths.

• Do not let the faucet flow while brushing your teeth or shaving.

Outdoors:

• When watering your lawn or plants, use a hose shut-off nozzle so that water flows only as needed.

When finished, turn it off at the faucet instead of at the nozzle to avoid leaks.

• Check hose connectors to make sure plastic or rubber washers are in place to avoid leaks.

• Do not leave sprinklers or hoses unattended, a garden hose can discharge 2,500 litres or more in just one hour. Use a timer as a reminder.

• Water your garden during the coolest part of the day and do not water on windy days.

• If you wash your own car, use a hose with an automatic shut-off nozzle.

For more information visit

StJohns.ca

> City Services > Water Services > Lawn and Garden Watering

THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER

PUT DOWN THE DRAIN or FLUSH DOWN THE TOILET

Flushable wipes are the most common and biggest problem. Wipes should not be flushed down the toilet as they don’t break down. Place them in the garbage and not down the toilet. Only the 3Ps should be flushed – Pee, Poo and toilet Paper. A number of items that are flushed every day by residents cause problems in every step of our wastewater system, from the pipes in your house to the Riverhead Wastewater Treatment Facility.