Water Matters

We usually have three "grades" of water in the cabin Grade A is bought water -- this we use for brushing teeth and drinking straight. Grade B is spring water that we gather from a natural spring about 500 meters up the road. We load up six blue containers, heave them into the back of the truck, drive back and hump them down to the cabin. Grade B is used for all cooking, and tea and coffee (even washing vegetables -- so it probably is safe to drink directly). Grade C is rainwater, gathered in three spots and used for cleaning, washing dishes and showers, and watering the garden. We arrived on May 20, and had no rainwater, so had to use the springwater for cleaning and showers as well. By May 24 we had gone through all six water carriers, for an average of about 31 litres a day. We had also used 8 litres of drinking water for tooth brushing and direct drinking. So our daily average water use was about 16.5L per person. According to the following quote, we saved 312L per person per day. That makes me feel better about hauling all that water!
http://www.janegoodall.ca/project-blue/WaterinCanada.html ---

In 2004, the average Canadian daily domestic water use was 329L per person (by 2006 it had increased to 335L). In comparison, the average daily water use per person in most countries in Europe is 200-300L, and in the United States it's approximately 575L.

In Canada, about 65% of indoor home water use occurs in our bathrooms. Toilets are the single greatest water user. Here's the breakdown for residential indoor water use in Canada:
o 35% bathing and showering (5 min shower: 100L, tub bath: 60L)
o 30% toilet (one flush: 15-19L)
o 20% laundry (washing machine: 225L)
o 10% kitchen and drinking (dishwasher: 40L, dishwashing by hand: 35L)
o 5% cleaning (hand washing with tap running: 8L, brushing teeth with tap running: 10L)
-----end of quote

More about Canadian water usage from the OECD is at this website:
http://www.environmentalindicators.org/htdocs/indicators.htm

Now (May 31) we have managed to fill up our rain barrels and I am looking forward to my first rain water shower today when we get home.

Your reluctant Ecotourist,

Jan