Quinte Landlords Join Forces with Quinte Conservation to Conserve Water

The Quinte Landlords Association is challenging all landlords and tenants in the region to do their part in conserving water.

The association has joined forces with Quinte Conservation to educate both landlords and the thousands of tenants in the region how to help conserve the local watershed. The association is distributing the conservation authorities’ water savings tip sheet to all of its members and asking that they be put in the hands of tenants. They are also calling on non-member landlords to do the same.

Association president Robert Gentile says “we’re asking all landlords to get this tip sheet widely distributed. Email them, hand deliver, slip them under the doors, post them in the hallways, everywhere. Thousands of Quinte residents are renters and may not be aware how much they can collectively make a difference. As landlords we have the ability to deliver this message to them directly.”

The conservation authority oversees the watersheds of the Moira, Salmon and Napanee rivers. Officials have recently declared a Level 2 low-water condition, the 2nd most severe of three levels. The authority is calling on all residents and businesses to reduce water usage by 20%. However by following the tip sheet this figure can increase to 40%.

According to the tip sheet “The average Canadian household uses over 500,000 litres of water per year, with some estimates showing at least 50% of water use is unnecessary and wasteful. The average person in Ontario uses 285 litres of water a day. In the summer months, 50% of household water is used in the lawn and garden. The greatest water uses in an average home are:

• toilet (45%)
• showers (30%)
• laundry (20%)
• drinking and cooking (5%)

Gentile says “Tenants don’t just live in apartment buildings, they rent town houses, semi-detached, fully detached homes, cottages, and even farms. In many cases where the landlord pays the water bill, tenants may not even think of how much they are using. This is a perfect recipe for massive waste and given the level 2 low water warning, it’s time for us to take action.”

Water Warriors. Quinte Landlord’s Association President Robert Gentile and Quinte Conservation General Manager Terry Murphy urge all landlords to get this water savings tip sheet into the hands of thousands of tenants.

Quinte Conservation’s General Manager Terry Murphy says “This is a great partnership with Quinte Landlords to get the message out to a lot of residents. We have 125,000 people living in our watershed and everyone does a little bit it means a big deal to the water supply.”

For tenants living in apartments without lawns and gardens who think they can’t do too much to help Murphy says otherwise. “Our tip sheet has a lot of things apartment dwellers can do to help. They may appear minor but if everyone is doing them they all add up to make a big difference.”

“Our message is not only about conserving water, but to help people understand the consequences if we run out. We get calls from people all the time who are on wells that have gone dry and they have kids. So when they drive by and see people watering their lawns they are getting really frustrated.”

“We’re not saying stop using water, we’re saying use it wisely. For example if you have a small veggie garden, water it at night so it doesn’t evaporate and is better for the plants. During the day the sun evaporates it quickly and burns the plants.”

For Gentile, water wastage is personal. Gentile says he’s always been a water miser since he grew up on a farm where everyone knew the well could go dry, which is why water wastage frustrates him. “I see people all the time doing absolutely ridiculous things which wastes water. Letting the tap run full blast when doing dishes or brushing teeth, hosing down the driveway, taking 30 minute showers, letting a leaky toilet go on for months. Honestly, people need a slap upside the head to get some common sense and think about the impact of their actions.”

Landlords, property managers and tenants who want a copy of the Water Savings Tip Sheet can download it from the Quinte Conservation Authority’s website or by requesting an emailed copy from the Quinte Landlord’s Association at 613-707-3879 or www.quintelandlordsassociation.ca/.

Contacts:

Robert Gentile
President
Quinte Landlord’s Association 613-707-3879 thelandlord@cogeco.ca

Terry Murphy
General Manager
Quinte Conservation
(613) 968-3434 X103 info@quinteconservation.ca