Domestic or municipal water use refers to all water supplied by a municipality for its residents, businesses and industries. These residential, commercial, and public uses, and the water lost from reservoirs and pipes amounted to about 9% of all withdrawals in Canada. This figure does not include rural areas where water use is not measured. If rural domestic uses were included, this figure would rise to about 11%.

Across Canada, nearly all of the water used by municipal water systems comes from lakes and rivers the remainder (12% of the total) comes from groundwater. We use this water for drinking, cooking, and for other household needs. In 2004, Canadians, on average, used 329 litres of water per person per day; 35% was for bathing, 25% for laundry and cleaning, 30% for toilet flushing, and 10% for cooking and drinking. Water is also needed to clean our streets, fight fires, fill public swimming pools, and water lawns and gardens.

Where would this water go without a sewerage system? Establishing and maintaining water systems is costly. There are three major costs: water supply, infrastructure maintenance, and administration.
Water prices across Canada are generally low compared to other countries. Monthly bills range between $15 and $90, the lowest being in Quebec, Newfoundland, and British Columbia, and the highest in the Prairie Provinces and northern Canada. Although water usage rates vary across Canada, the overall per capita use is very high compared to that of other industrialized countries. Only the United States has higher rates of municipal water usage.

The effect of increased domestic water use is increased withdrawals from source waters, which may prevent or limit other water uses; alter water levels and flows, stream habitat and ecology, and groundwater levels. The subsequent return of water from treatment plants may contribute to water pollution. With respect to the collection and management of wastewaters, effluent disposal to receiving waters may cause pollution and affect the flow regime. Leaky sanitary/combined sewers may also contribute to groundwater pollution.

Adapted from Environment Canada: Municipal Water and Wastewater Survey, 2004, and the Freshwater Website and Threats to Water Availability in Canada