Drinking Water Week: Stewards of Change

The City of Saskatoon is encouraging citizens to celebrate Drinking Water Week from May 6-12 by acknowledging the essential work being done in our community to ensure we have access to high quality drinking water!

There are a number of organizations, businesses, and households in our community who are demonstrating that we can all be Saskatoon water stewards.

The University of Saskatchewan’s Facilities Management Division, in partnership with the U of S Office of Sustainability, is in the process of replacing the Education Building’s 63 toilets with dual-flush, low-flow toilets. The urinals in the building are also being retrofitted. It is estimated that these two initiatives will save up to 90% of the water currently used by the fixtures, as much as 14.3 million litres every year. As resources permit, similar retrofits will be undertaken in other buildings across campus.

There are also opportunities for households to reduce their water use. The Provincial Toilet Replacement Rebate Program, which is funded through the Ministry of Environment's Go Green Fund, provides incentives to those who wish to become water stewards in their own homes. Until December 31, 2012, Saskatoon citizens may apply to receive a $50 rebate when replacing high volume toilets (13-litre per flush or higher) with toilets that are dual flush or 6-litre per flush or less.

As these examples demonstrate, there are opportunities for all of us to become Saskatoon water stewards – at work and in our homes!

Do you know of other organizations, businesses, or households in our community that are taking action to protect and conserve our water? Celebrate these water stewards on The City of Saskatoon’s Facebook page!

And remember, let’scelebrate water. Celebrate the essential!