Sustainable Living at Little City Farm in Kitchener Ontario

Little City Farm is participating in Local Rainwater Harvesting Research Project!

We are very pleased to be one of 25 residents in the Waterloo Region to receive a 1150-litre rainwater harvesting tank as part of a new rainwater collection project. The tank will be monitored for 3 years by the Region to determine water savings.

More info at: www.region.waterloo.on.ca/water and we will be posting updates on our blog.

Access to clean & affordable water is a human right for all. These organizations are working toward greater global water justice, conservation and sustainability.

Resources:
www.RightToWater.ca
www.canadians.org/water
www.blueplanetproject.net

- use natural cleaning products to reduce harmful chemicals washing down the drain
- reduce water consumption in home bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry
- repair leaky taps, install low-flow showerheads & water-efficient toilets
- recycle water (e.g. dishwashing water can be used in the garden)
- replace lawns with water-wise natural landscaping and native plants & grasses
- collect rainwater in rainbarrels for watering yards/gardens

Water Recycling

Water is key to our lives and livelihoods, and good quality fresh water will become an increasingly precious resource in the near future. At Little City Farm we are developing ways to reduce water usage, as well as capture and reuse water. Here are some examples:

Harvesting rainwater from our house roof and all outbuildings (barn, greenhouse, patio roof) collected through a series rain barrels, which we use to water our gardens.

Developing a grey water recycling system with a series of wetland ponds comprised of sand/gravel filters and native wetland plants. These ponds filter kitchen water, main floor sink and bath water, and laundry water for reuse in the gardens.

Using low-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads in our two bathrooms. Low-flush toilets use 6 litres of water per flush, which reduces our water consumption by 20% compared to conventional toilets. Low-flow showerheads use 8-9 litres of water per minute (compared to 20+ litres of water per minute with conventional showerheads), thus reducing our water consumption by more than 50%.

Rainwater Harvesting

Water Justice

Some Water Conservation Tips:

Water Recycling