Keeping Calgary’s drinking water clean and safe is everyone’s responsibility, even yours. It’s easy enough; you just need to keep these four water solutions in mind.
1. Conserve Water. Keeping your household water usage down is one of the best ways to protect our drinking water. You don’t have to take 30-second showers to make a difference (though shorter showers do help, too). Being mindful during simple, everyday tasks is all it takes. Here are a few suggestions, but feel free to add in some of your own ideas.
Close the tap while you’re brushing your teeth, shaving and/or washing your face
Run dishwashers and washing machines when they’re completely full
Clean fruits and veggies in a tub instead of under a running faucet
Water lawns conservatively, during cooler parts of the day
Use a broom to clean driveways and other such outdoor surfaces
2. Properly dispose of waste items. Contaminants via hazardous household items are a threat to keeping our drinking water clean. Substances such as weed killers, fertilizers, motor oil, anti-freeze, paint strippers and cleaning chemicals should never be thrown down a drain or dispersed of on a lawn. In Calgary, most such items can be disposed of—for free—at any one of the three available Throw ‘n’ Go facilities around the city. All they ask is that items be properly labeled and sealed. For pharmaceuticals—which should never be flushed down the toilet—the proper disposal method is to return them to your neighbourhood pharmacy. Most have amenities in place to dispose of your unused over-the-counter and prescription medicines
3. Secure leaks and drips. The most obvious type of leak to consider is a water leak. Drippy faucets and pipes should be repaired immediately so as to conserve drinking water. Outdoor as well as indoor locations should be considered. But there’s a second type of leak to watch out for; gas and oil leaks. These can come from motor vehicles of all kinds and need to be attended to ASAP in order to prevent environmental contamination. Another possible culprit for an oil leak is an underground (UST) or aboveground (AST) storage tank. These devices used to store heating oil should be checked regularly if they’re in use, and if not in use, it’s best to have them safely removed by a reputable company.
4. Keep wells protected. Wells, even unused wells, need to be safeguarded against contamination. Never use an abandoned well as a disposal unit. Keep fertilizers, pesticides and other toxic chemicals at a safe distance. Ensure wells are properly sealed to keep all possible contaminants out. Finally, well water should be regularly tested for nitrates and bacteria. Taking these steps will ensure drinking water remains safe.
Here at Alberta Water Services, we take the subject of clean drinking water very seriously. As providers of water solutions throughout Calgary, it’s our duty to diligently protect our most precious resource. Contact us today for all your water delivery, drinking water, and water solution needs in Calgary and surrounding!