Environment: Total Average Daily Flow of Water for Residential Use

Since 2001, residential water use per capita has been decreasing in Canada. The largest decrease was between 2006 and 2009 (a decrease of 16.2%).

Environment Canada suggests that this decline may be due to a number of factors including: climatic variables, socioeconomic variables, higher rates of metering and increasing water and sewer prices. Canadians who are charged a meter rate based on volume seem to use much less water.  For example, residents in Nova Scotia, for example, consumed more than double the amount of water when they were billed a flat rate.

Across the country we see significant variation in residential waster use. In 2009, water use per capita in St. John’s (710.0L) was the highest among Canada’s major CMAs and over twice the national average (274.0L). At the other end of the spectrum,  London had the lowest residential water use per capital at 160.1 litres per person per day.