Water Facts

About 70% of the earth is covered in water.
Only 1% is fresh water that is readily available for human consumption.
Almost 9%, or 891 163 square kilometres, of Canada's total area is covered by fresh water.
The Great Lakes are the largest system of fresh, surface water on earth, containing roughly 18% of the world supply.
In Canada, there is more water underground than on the surface.
Canadians use 4,400 litres of water per day per person.
Per capita, Canadians are second only to Americans in terms of water consumption.
Residential indoor water use in Canada: toilet – 30%; bathing and showering – 35%; laundry – 20%; kitchen and drinking – 10%; cleaning – 5%
A single lawn sprinkler spraying 19 litres per minute uses more water in just one hour than a combination of ten toilet flushes, two 5-minute showers, two dishwasher loads, and a full load of clothes.
Health problems related to water pollution in general are estimated to cost Canadians $300 million per year.

Our Programs

Drinking Water
Water Efficiency/Conservation
Non-Point Source Pollution
Emerging Chemicals in Water

Drinking Water

Municipally treated water is the safest, cheapest option that Canadians have for drinking water. It is also the least environmentally harmful option. The Clean Water Foundation designs and delivers information campaigns that inform consumers of the benefits of municipal water so they can make informed decisions about drinking water.

Water Efficiency/Conservation

Canada is blessed with an abundance of fresh water. Canadians are also the largest water wasters in the world. Wasting water costs us money, it shortens the lifespan of our infrastructure and can have adverse effects on the environment. The Clean Water Foundation works with public and private sector partners to accelerate the uptake of water efficient consumer technologies and change water wasting behaviours.

Non-Point Source Pollution

When a type of pollution originates from many different sources (like household pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers) it is called non-point source pollution. It is one of the most difficult types of pollution to address because the huge number of sources. The Clean Water Foundation works to promote the adoption of water- and eco-friendly household products, as well as, the uptake of technologies that reduce household related non-point source pollution.

Emerging Chemicals in Water

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products have made significant contributions to the well being of Canadians. However recent studies documenting the presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in our rivers, lakes and even our drinking water (long after their use) have raised concern about potential human and environmental health impacts associated with constant, long-term exposure. The Clean Water Foundation works to raise awareness about wise use and disposal of pharmaceuticals and personal care products and reduce their presence in our water.