Input your answers into the worksheet as you go along to check all taps, toilets, etc. in your home.

For toilets with tanks

1. Drop 4-5 drops of food colouring into the water tank and wait 5 minutes.
   
   
2. If the dyed water shows up in the toilet bowl without flushing, you’ve got a leak!

For tankless toilets

1. Tankless toilets are trickier than checking for toilets with tanks. Listen to see if you hear running water.
   
   
2. OR… see if there is water moving on the insides of the bowl above the waterline. If so, you may have a leak!

For taps

1. Check to see if taps are leaking or left on
   
   
2. If there is dripping, try turning the tap OFF fully. If it turns off, make note that it was “left on”
   
   
3. If it does not turn off, mark “Y” for a leaky tap. For a leaking tap, use a measuring cup and stopwatch to measure how much water is leaking. If your tap is not leaking… pretend it is by turning it slightly on! Time how long it takes for the tap to drip 10ml.
   
   
4. How much water (in L) would that be over the course of 1 day, 1 week, 1 year? Hint: Think about unit conversions and use the math formula below to do your calculations. The formula below should give you water wasted in litres per year

Other tips for your home to save water (taken from saveourH2o.org)

• Install aerators on bathroom faucets
  • saves 4.5 litres per person/day
    
    
• turn off water when brushing teeth or shaving
  • saves 38 litres per person/day
    
    
• fill the bathtub halfway or less
  • saves 45 litres per person
    
    
• fix leaky toilets
  • saves 114-189 litres per day/toilet
    
    
• install a high-efficiency toilet (4.8 litres/flush)
  • saves 72 litres per person/day
    
    
• wash only full loads of clothes
  • saves 57-170 litres per load
    
    
• take five minute showers instead of 10 minute showers
  • saves 47 litres with a water-efficient shower head
    
    
• install a water-efficient shower head
  • saves 4.5 litres per minute or 38 litres per average 10 minute shower
    
    
• run dishwater when full instead of half full
  • saves 19-45 litres per load

What’s not listed? Our LAWNS!

• Save water by watering your lawns before 10 am or after 4 pm
  
  
• Plants prefer rainwater! Installing a rain barrel is a simple way for collecting rainwater.
  • Instructions over at Green Calgary.
    
    
• Instead of planting a lawn… try native vegetation that requires less water