Water Heating & Use Guide

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Historically, Canadians have been proud of our clean, abundant water supply—fully one-fifth of the world’s fresh water resources lie within our country. However, only 7% of this resource is renewable. And, despite paying only what a fraction of what other developed countries pay for their water, we consume more water per person per day than most other countries. In B.C., we use about 490 litres of water per person per day, which is more than 150 litres per day above the Canadian average. So water sustainability is as relevant an issue in B.C. and Canada as it is around the world.

Water used for human consumption must be treated before it is delivered to homes. Treatment services and infrastructure cost Canadians billions of dollars. In addition, the energy needed to heat water is costly and puts additional strain on our finite energy resources. With factors like climate change, water privatization, and pollution putting increasing pressure on our fresh water and energy resources, British Columbians are being asked to get serious about water use and to help meet a provincial target of improving water efficiency by one-third by 2020.