Canadian municipal residential water conservation initiatives

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a national survey concerning residential water conservation initiatives undertaken by Canadian municipalities, followed by detailed case studies of 12 municipalities that have undertaken conservation initiatives. The survey results are based on responses from 65 municipalities, with populations ranging from 600 to 1,650,000 representing approximately one half of the Canadian population served with piped water. The survey identified water conservation initiatives undertaken by each municipality, benefits and cost savings resulting from those initiatives, and recorded comments concerning factors such as the price of water and implementation of metering that influence the success of residential water conservation programs. The 12 case-study municipalities serve populations of 12,000–650,000; all but four were fully metered at the time of the case study. Residential demands ranged from 210–650 L/cap/day. For each municipality information was obtained about program objectives; details of water efficiency initiatives; program costs; and program results and lessons learned. Sixty-three of the surveyed municipalities have undertaken water conservation initiatives. Results of the case studies indicate that the problems addressed, and the solutions adopted, reflect circumstances unique to each municipality. But it is clear that significant water and wastewater problems face Canadian municipalities, that water conservation can be a significant instrument in addressing these problems, and that the experience reported here can be of value to other Canadian municipalities that may be considering, or should consider, residential water conservation initiatives. © 1998 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.