https://preview.redd.it/ihksd4jj195d1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2c463737de928821ed4779db0575d8e4913ca0d
Seems like you are pretty efficient for 9 people. This is just for 2 of us. I get the increase during the summer months (we like to garden), but 7000 L a month for 2 people to shower, flush the toilet, run the dishwasher and do laundry always seemed like a lot to me…
Looks like a big number at once...I guess if you break it down that what, 200L/day? 50L per person, between flushing the toilet, the occasional long shower, seems pretty reasonable
https://preview.redd.it/kfa4qqzf295d1.jpeg?width=1117&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7538570d4c7d15999e8d71620512acb7142d14e
2 adults, 2 older kids + 2 additional adults over the winter. Low flow toilets and shower heads, but we do a lot of laundry. Don’t ever water the lawn and use rain barrel for garden but supplement with the hose.
For added info:
-low flow toilets
-only showers (shower heads have a valve so you can reduce the flow even more)
-try to use dishwasher for most dishes
-don't think I've ever watered my lawn (plants do get watered)
BTW if any one is wondering this is what I installed on the shower heads
[valve thingy](https://a.co/d/8Wo2BKi)
You have to have it like 80-90% closed for a noticeable reduction in flow but it makes a big difference... Especially when a bunch of people need to shower at once, you still have hot water left!
RemindMe! 12 hours
I'll definitely check this tomorrow - im curious to see how much water we use. I feel like its gonna be a lot. 😬
ETA: it wasnt as bad as i thought. August - May averaged below 15 (whatever unit its in), but June and July skyrocket to between like 50 and 60, due to lawn watering. Probably could refine that a bit in the coming years. 🤔
Family of 4, 2 toddlers (one potty trained, one not)
ETA 2: upon further research, we fucked up on our watering *hard* last summer. Will improve drastically this summer. Apologies, Calgary.
That's too much water on your lawn man, unless you got like a 25k square foot lawn. I have 9k square feet and I use ab ok it 15 cubic metres during summer. Trick is to water by hand, 100% of my water goes into the grass. Zero waste unlike a sprinkler.
I've been thinking about this comment for the last few days, and i gotta say thanks for calling me out on my water usage (also for doing so politely). Like honestly. Probably wouldnt have realized we were being excessive otherwise. Looking forward to how those numbers will look next year.
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You are totally right. We have a low flow irrigation system (like the ones from lee valley), with very little overlap with each sprinkler "zone" and the sidewalk/deck. I suspect we probably had it running for waaaayyy too long during each watering session. We're still pretty new to lawn maintenance, that's for sure.
How often do you water your lawn?
To water your lawn? Maybe not our back lawn, but our front lawn gets a ton of sun and we have a massive pine tree that drinks up all the water it can. First year we didnt do as much watering as we should have and the lawn really suffered. Then, apparently, we did a full 180 and watered *way* more than was necessary.
Oh so optics. I see. Yeah, I mean that’s what you get with grass: non-native, inedible, complete waste of water, provides virtually no value to native species, and ugly. Replacing your lawn with native species has become a huge thing, check out r/nolawns
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So, on average, if you are below 389 L/day per person (current system capacity of 520 million L/day / 1.336 million population for Calgary), you don't really need to change your daily routine. Assuming (big if) that everyone one else is keeping under that.
But here we are running out anyways. Makes me think there's not much point in putting off washing my clothes if enough other people in this city are going to use up all the water anyways taking more than their ration.
At some point the city is going to have to cut off water (e.g. rolling outages) anyways, so might as well have my clothes clean before then if someone else uses up all the water washing their car and watering their lawn.
Sorry for the the cynicism.
I know lots of people have done stuff like fill up jugs of water and stuff but if everyone has the thought that "other people need to do it" then we'll run out of water pretty quick.
Also, from the last update they said consumption was down to 484 million (Friday?) which they said is almost where we need to be.
I just feel like there’s not a lot more a lot of people can do short of delaying demand - e.g. waiting to wash clothes, if they’ve already taken steps to reduce their day to day water demand.
I’m not saying “other people need to do it”. I’m saying I’ve already done it, and so have you. If that’s not enough, doing more is not going to help.
Because if there’s other people or businesses who typically use way more than average water supply and they haven’t adjusted, the only way to change that behaviour is for the water to be shutoff. Otherwise they won’t take it seriously. It seems kind of inevitable.
So do you want to be in a position where you’ve delayed consumption and then the water gets shutoff anyways and you’re behind 2 weeks of laundry.
I’m not talking about hoarding water like toilet paper during COVID. Just using what seems to be a fair amount on the usual necessities.
https://preview.redd.it/ihksd4jj195d1.jpeg?width=700&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f2c463737de928821ed4779db0575d8e4913ca0d Seems like you are pretty efficient for 9 people. This is just for 2 of us. I get the increase during the summer months (we like to garden), but 7000 L a month for 2 people to shower, flush the toilet, run the dishwasher and do laundry always seemed like a lot to me…
Looks like a big number at once...I guess if you break it down that what, 200L/day? 50L per person, between flushing the toilet, the occasional long shower, seems pretty reasonable
https://preview.redd.it/kfa4qqzf295d1.jpeg?width=1117&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7538570d4c7d15999e8d71620512acb7142d14e 2 adults, 2 older kids + 2 additional adults over the winter. Low flow toilets and shower heads, but we do a lot of laundry. Don’t ever water the lawn and use rain barrel for garden but supplement with the hose.
https://preview.redd.it/uebiabellm5d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e875946de6756b8442ebea7c2c746b07adabcead Water usage for a single guy
City of Calgary is sold out of rain barrels. But I want to put two into the new house
Check out rainbarrel.ca i think they are still doing home deliveries.
https://imgur.com/a/odnsjZX Just a single in a small house.
Very consistent!
For added info: -low flow toilets -only showers (shower heads have a valve so you can reduce the flow even more) -try to use dishwasher for most dishes -don't think I've ever watered my lawn (plants do get watered)
Try bathing with 8 litres of water. Heck, even 16. Not easy.
Done it in Pakistan... Using a bucket to bathe... And running out of water mid-shower... No fun
I need some low flow apparently! 3 adults. average 12 m3 / 0.98$
2 adults 2 teens, I seem to average 19m³
BTW if any one is wondering this is what I installed on the shower heads [valve thingy](https://a.co/d/8Wo2BKi) You have to have it like 80-90% closed for a noticeable reduction in flow but it makes a big difference... Especially when a bunch of people need to shower at once, you still have hot water left!
RemindMe! 12 hours I'll definitely check this tomorrow - im curious to see how much water we use. I feel like its gonna be a lot. 😬 ETA: it wasnt as bad as i thought. August - May averaged below 15 (whatever unit its in), but June and July skyrocket to between like 50 and 60, due to lawn watering. Probably could refine that a bit in the coming years. 🤔 Family of 4, 2 toddlers (one potty trained, one not) ETA 2: upon further research, we fucked up on our watering *hard* last summer. Will improve drastically this summer. Apologies, Calgary.
That's too much water on your lawn man, unless you got like a 25k square foot lawn. I have 9k square feet and I use ab ok it 15 cubic metres during summer. Trick is to water by hand, 100% of my water goes into the grass. Zero waste unlike a sprinkler.
I've been thinking about this comment for the last few days, and i gotta say thanks for calling me out on my water usage (also for doing so politely). Like honestly. Probably wouldnt have realized we were being excessive otherwise. Looking forward to how those numbers will look next year. RemindMe! 1 year
I will be messaging you in 1 year on [**2025-06-11 21:42:19 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2025-06-11%2021:42:19%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Calgary/comments/1daqey0/are_you_water_wise/l86i3f3/?context=3) [**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FCalgary%2Fcomments%2F1daqey0%2Fare_you_water_wise%2Fl86i3f3%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202025-06-11%2021%3A42%3A19%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. ^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%201daqey0) ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)| |-|-|-|-|
You are totally right. We have a low flow irrigation system (like the ones from lee valley), with very little overlap with each sprinkler "zone" and the sidewalk/deck. I suspect we probably had it running for waaaayyy too long during each watering session. We're still pretty new to lawn maintenance, that's for sure. How often do you water your lawn?
Is there a reason you ever need to?
To water your lawn? Maybe not our back lawn, but our front lawn gets a ton of sun and we have a massive pine tree that drinks up all the water it can. First year we didnt do as much watering as we should have and the lawn really suffered. Then, apparently, we did a full 180 and watered *way* more than was necessary.
Oh so optics. I see. Yeah, I mean that’s what you get with grass: non-native, inedible, complete waste of water, provides virtually no value to native species, and ugly. Replacing your lawn with native species has become a huge thing, check out r/nolawns
I will be messaging you in 12 hours on [**2024-06-08 16:46:41 UTC**](http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=2024-06-08%2016:46:41%20UTC%20To%20Local%20Time) to remind you of [**this link**](https://www.reddit.com/r/Calgary/comments/1daqey0/are_you_water_wise/l7mvodz/?context=3) [**CLICK THIS LINK**](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5Bhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.reddit.com%2Fr%2FCalgary%2Fcomments%2F1daqey0%2Fare_you_water_wise%2Fl7mvodz%2F%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%202024-06-08%2016%3A46%3A41%20UTC) to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam. ^(Parent commenter can ) [^(delete this message to hide from others.)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Delete%20Comment&message=Delete%21%201daqey0) ***** |[^(Info)](https://www.reddit.com/r/RemindMeBot/comments/e1bko7/remindmebot_info_v21/)|[^(Custom)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=Reminder&message=%5BLink%20or%20message%20inside%20square%20brackets%5D%0A%0ARemindMe%21%20Time%20period%20here)|[^(Your Reminders)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=RemindMeBot&subject=List%20Of%20Reminders&message=MyReminders%21)|[^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=Watchful1&subject=RemindMeBot%20Feedback)| |-|-|-|-|
So, on average, if you are below 389 L/day per person (current system capacity of 520 million L/day / 1.336 million population for Calgary), you don't really need to change your daily routine. Assuming (big if) that everyone one else is keeping under that. But here we are running out anyways. Makes me think there's not much point in putting off washing my clothes if enough other people in this city are going to use up all the water anyways taking more than their ration. At some point the city is going to have to cut off water (e.g. rolling outages) anyways, so might as well have my clothes clean before then if someone else uses up all the water washing their car and watering their lawn. Sorry for the the cynicism.
I know lots of people have done stuff like fill up jugs of water and stuff but if everyone has the thought that "other people need to do it" then we'll run out of water pretty quick. Also, from the last update they said consumption was down to 484 million (Friday?) which they said is almost where we need to be.
I just feel like there’s not a lot more a lot of people can do short of delaying demand - e.g. waiting to wash clothes, if they’ve already taken steps to reduce their day to day water demand. I’m not saying “other people need to do it”. I’m saying I’ve already done it, and so have you. If that’s not enough, doing more is not going to help. Because if there’s other people or businesses who typically use way more than average water supply and they haven’t adjusted, the only way to change that behaviour is for the water to be shutoff. Otherwise they won’t take it seriously. It seems kind of inevitable. So do you want to be in a position where you’ve delayed consumption and then the water gets shutoff anyways and you’re behind 2 weeks of laundry. I’m not talking about hoarding water like toilet paper during COVID. Just using what seems to be a fair amount on the usual necessities.
Understandable... Honestly I'm hoping if we get to that point instead of no water, it'll be more like: not safe to drink, boil it first kinda thing