Water: The Indispensable Resource (Chapter 17)

1,600 cubic metres The amount or water used annually in Canada per capita for all purposes. Of the 29 member nations of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), only the United States uses more water than Canada on a per capita basis. Canada’s per capita water consumption is 65 per cent above the OECD average. Source: OECD

Using lots of fresh water like Canada does creates 2 kinds of problems: environmental and economic. Environmentally, high consumption places stress on rivers, lakes and groundwater aquifers and may require dams and flooding with serious ecological impacts. As well, the discharge of polluted water once it has been used damages aquatic ecosystems.

Economically, high levels of water use require ever-increasing and expensive investments in water system infrastructure needed to gather, deliver and dispose of water (dams, reservoirs, water treatment facilities, distribution networks and sewage treatment).

Canadians get most of their water from surface sources such as lakes, rivers and reservoirs. However pressure on groundwater (water drawn from aquifers by wells) is increasing rapidly in Canada. Source: http://www.environmentalindicators.com/htdocs/indicators/6wate.htm

Breakdown of water used in the home Task / Percentage of water used Showers and baths 35% Toilet Flushing 30% Laundry 20% Kitchen and drinking 10% Cleaning 5%

How much water is used per task Task Amount consumed Washing machine 225 litres Shower (10 minutes) 100 litres Bath 60 litres Dishwasher 40 litres Washing dishes by hand 35 litres Toilet flush 15-20 litres Brushing your teeth (with tap running) 10 litres Hand washing (with tap running) 8 litres

1.1 billion The estimated number of people worldwide who lack access to clean drinking water. 2.4 billion The estimated number of people worldwide who lack access to sanitation. Most are in Africa and Asia. 2 billion The estimated number of people who depend on groundwater worldwide (about one-third of the world's population). Countries around the world face rapidly depleting groundwater resources, including parts of India, China, West Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the former Soviet Union and the western United States.