Can you imagine a day without water?

As we live in a world where washing our hands has become an important public health protocol now more than ever, turning on the tap and getting clean water is a necessity. Today, the City of Vaughan joins communities across North America to invite citizens to Imagine a Day Without Water. Take time to learn where water comes from and where it goes, and consider what your day would be like without it.

A day without water would mean firefighters couldn’t do their jobs, hospitals couldn’t function and all household activities involving water would not be possible: accessing drinking water, bathing, flushing the toilet, washing the dishes and more. 

The City’s Water Services team is responsible for the uninterrupted supply and distribution of safe drinking water to all residential, industrial, commercial and institutional customers. Did you know 35-billion litres of fresh, clean water is delivered to Vaughan residents and businesses every year? That’s equivalent to 14,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools! Water is a precious resource, so it’s essential to work together to protect and conserve it. Simple water conservation practices not only save money on your water and wastewater bill, but also help preserve our natural environment. Use a water calculator to learn more about how much water is used in your household daily. Check out the City’s water wise brochure (PDF) for other tips on conserving water and use #ValueWater to share what water means to you on social media.

Vaughan’s water systems

Behind the scenes, a lot goes on to ensure safe, clean water comes out of the tap every time you turn it on. Safe drinking water, effective wastewater collection and stormwater management are cornerstones of maintaining a healthy community.

Water infrastructure is the lifeline of our communities, including the wastewater system. Wastewater is “used” water sent down a drain from ordinary habits, like bathing, toilet flushing and laundry. Wastewater is usually 99.9 per cent water and 0.1 per cent is the stuff we want to remove, like human waste. However, sometimes it also contains other non-biological solids like plastics and metals. That’s why the City sends wastewater to be treated before it goes back into the environment in Lake Ontario and eventually re-enters the water system. Vaughan's drinking water comes from Lake Ontario, which is first treated by the City of Toronto and Region of Peel, then supplied to Vaughan by York Region. In York Region, approximately 85 per cent of water is sourced from Lake Ontario, three per cent from Lake Simcoe and 12 per cent from groundwater.

To ensure safe and efficient water and wastewater systems now and for years to come, the City builds, maintains and rehabilitates infrastructure to provide long-lasting access to clean and drinkable water, wastewater and stormwater services – an infrastructure system valued at more than $2.6 billion.

The City of Vaughan is committed to protecting the environment and fostering a sustainable future while delivering Service Excellence, as outlined in the Council-approved 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan. Recognizing the Imagine a Day Without Water initiative is an opportunity to highlight the City’s commitment to exceptional citizen service and city building and to reinforce sustainable behaviours to keep water in Vaughan clean and safe.

Watch the video on the City’s YouTube channel about Imagine A Day Without Water. To learn more about the City’s water services, visit vaughan.ca/water.

For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

- 30 -​