We have the same amount of water today as we did when the Earth was formed.

Only 1% of the Earth's water is available for drinking water.

The 5 Great Lakes bordering the United States and Canada contain about 20% of the world's available fresh water.

The average South Saskatchewan River Flow through the City of Saskatoon is 12,100,000 m3/day (12.10 billion litres/day).

The City of Saskatoon's Water Treatment Plant treats on average   130 million litres of water a day.

The maximum daily treatment at the Water Treatment Plant is 270 million litres.

The average person uses 230 litres of water a day.

You can refill a 355ml (12oz) glass of water approximately 9,700 times for the same cost as a six-pack of pop.

Water is the main ingredient in other beverages and it takes water to process them. For example, it takes 6,800 litres (1,500 gallons) of water to make 1 barrel of beer.

What you throw in the trash, pour down the drain, and put on the ground can pollute the water. One gallon of gasoline can contaminate approximately 3,410,000 litres (750,000 gallons) of water.

Saskatoon drinking water meets all Canadian Drinking Water Standards.

In repeated testing, Canadian drinking water has been found to be among the best in the world. However, there is no such thing as absolutely pure water. Water is an extremely good solvent; it will dissolve a certain amount of almost anything. In its natural state, water always contains some impurities. Many of the chemicals dissolved in water are not harmful, they may in fact, be good for you. For example, Calcium is essential for building healthy bones and teeth.

Even though there is a tendency to use water as if our supplies are limitless, the truth is that there is a limit to this precious natural resource.

Every drop counts -- leaking taps and plumbing fixtures are pouring money down the drain! A dripping tap can waste up to 3,400 litres per month, and a leaking toilet can waste up to 7,800 litres per month for a total dollar value of $16/month or $192/year.

Links to Learning Tools

The Story of Drinking Water provided by American Water Works Association.