Going Zero

Water is essential for life and plays a vital role in the proper functioning of the Earth’s ecosystems. The pollution of water has a serious impact on all living creatures, and can negatively affect the use of water for drinking, household needs, fishing, transportation, and commerce.

 Water has two primary functions in our everyday lives : bathing and consumption. Water can easily be contaminated ( one gallon of motor oil can contaminate one million gallons of water ), which will affect not only water we drink, but water that comes into our houses and the natural water sources we swim in.

 Keep our water clean by:

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• Make responsible choices. Think before you throw unwanted materials away.
• Use less toxic cleaning products.
• Never flush medications down the toilet. Take unused medications back to pharmacy for proper disposal.
• Recycle household paints at local PRODUCT CARE locations. Gibsons Recycling Depot and the Sechelt landfill offer this service.
• Recycle motor oil and oil filters. Never pour oil down storm drains.

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In less than 20 years, it is estimated that demand for fresh water will exceed the world’s supply by over 50 per cent. We need to conserve water. Use water wisely!

Water Conservation Tips

Conserving water is a good thing to do for all seasons of the year. Hot, dry summers can mean water shortage for communities in the summer months. A toilet flush can use up to 7 gallons. Leaking taps can waste hundreds of gallons a day.

Here are some tips to help conserve water: [list class=special-7]

• Replace your showerhead with an ultra low-flow version, saving up to 2.5 gallons per minute  
• Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks  
• Wash your produce in a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water. Then use water in garden.
• Use a rake or broom to clean leaves and grass off sidewalks, and driveways
• Wash a car with a bucket of water and a sponge
• Turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth
• Wash vegetables in a basin and use water for garden
• Only wash clothes when you have a full load
• Fix leaking taps and toilets
• Take shorter showers or share a bath
• Use mulch in gardens
• Avoid buying bottled water
• Collect rain water
• Recycle wading pool water for gardens  ( Running hoses, sprinklers, and water toys are fun but use lots of water)
• Aim sprinklers where they are needed ( do not water street) and follow watering restrictions

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