In this month’s Sustainability Speaker Series we learned about why water matters, and that there are complex social, economic and environmental issues that surround water and its use.

The Manitoba Eco-Network’s Water Caucus spoke about how we use water, how we pollute it, and how we can conserve and protect it.  They gave a very compelling presentation about why we should NOT take water for granted and why water is NOT free. One interesting discussion was about the cost of water: Did you know water is measured in cubic meters (m3) – that 1 m3 is 1000 litres – and that’s about 6 full bathtubs? How much do you think you should pay for those 6 bathtubs of water – $2, $5, $20?  Believe it or not, in Canada we only pay $.31. This is less than 10% of the true cost of delivery from source to tap. The equivalent 1m3 of bottled water would cost about $220.

We also learned about solutions, like purchasing EcoLogo products, not leaving the tap running when you wash your hands, or participating in the POW program. These are just a few of the many simple steps that we can all take to take to conserve and protect water. This month also celebrated World Water Day and Bottled Water Free Day, two other important initiatives that raise awareness for the sustainable use of water.

Click here to view the presentation and learn more about water consumption, conservation and what you can do to protect and conserve water at work and at home.

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