City offers tips to conserve water in the kitchen

A report from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation shows water used in the kitchen accounts for about 15 per cent of a household’s indoor usage. They City of Lethbridge is sharing tips to help residents conserve water in the kitchen and save money on utilities. 

The city says handwashing dishes can use a lot of water, but there are ways to use less. The number one tip is to use your dishwasher if you have one. 

“It might seem counterintuitive, but modern dishwashers are so efficient that they actually use less water than washing by hand, as long as you fill them up,” says Kathleen Sheppard, Executive Director of Environment Lethbridge. 

The city says older dishwashers use around 22 litres of water per load and newer ones are even more efficient. If you are handwashing dishes, the best way to use less water is to avoid letting the tap run continuously. 

Avoiding using your kitchen’s garburator can also save a lot of water. According to the city, a garburator uses about 8.5 litres of water per minute. 

“Garbage disposals use a lot of water,” says Sheppard. “The best thing you can do is put your food waste in your green bin, which saves water and turns your food waste into compost.” 

Other tips include installing a hot water dispenser, repairing any leaky plumbing, keeping a jug of cold water in the fridge and not using water when thawing frozen food.