Water Conservation

Water conservation extends the life of municipal infrastructure, allows for population growth, and reduces the cost of treating and pumping water and sewage. Our water conservation programs empower families and businesses to save money, reduce the environmental impact of utility services, and protect their homes from flooding.

2016 Achievements

Utilities Kingston conservation experts work directly with commercial customers to find and fund conservation investments.

$97,480

for 45 Customer Projects

Stimulating $1 million in
local conservation work

 22,797 m3

Water & Sewage
Saved Annually

 101

Enough to Supply 101 Average Residential Customers

2016 Rain Barrel Program

Ten thousand thanks to our customers and employees for your support of the rain barrel program and water conservation. This past summer we reached an exciting milestone - 10,000 rain barrels delivered, since 2006. 

In its tenth year, our rain barrel program continues to be popular with our community. Watch our video to learn more.

The ten thousandth rain barrel is delivered to our customers

Mayor Bryan Paterson (right)  joined our president & CEO, Jim Keech (left) to deliver the 10,000th rain barrel to the Peltsch-Williams (middle). The water-wise planter, shown, features native, drought-tolerant plants, selected from the award-winning Utilities Kingston Water Conservation Garden.

2016 program results:

Rain Barrels in 2016
Delivered 832 rain barrels to customers. Many thanks to our customers for over TEN THOUSAND rain barrels delivered, since 2006. This saves 20,000 cubic metres of water (since 2006), supplying 100 average residential customers.

Water Conservation Garden

Featuring native, water smart plants and sustainable gardening tips, this beautiful space provides public education on how to use less treated water on lawns and gardens during summer peak consumption times, while you’re enjoying a beautiful, low maintenance garden. 

We’d love to see you at our award-winning water-wise garden!  Join us in the summer months for a free tour of the conservation garden and children’s activities, weekdays at 10:30 AM. 

Children participating in a guided tour of the water conservation garden

In 2016, we hosted hundreds of visitors for water-wise tours and activities in the garden, and educated dozens of home owners at our free Everything Drainage Workshops. Pictured is conservation and customer service manager, Stephen Sottile with some of our youngest, budding conservation experts.

Electricity Conservation

Conservation is the cleanest and least costly way to increase electricity system capacity, while empowering customers to manage their electricity use and save money. It can extend the useful life of existing infrastructure and reduce the environmental impact of electricity distribution. 

79

 Customer Projects Funded 
through Save On Energy

 5,571,021 kWh

Saved Per Year

 696

Enough to Supply 696 Average Residential Customers

$2 million

 in Customer Projects Realized

  18,397 Powerful Insights Reports

Delivered to Residential Customers

By helping customers access grants and incentives for conservation investments from provincial Save on Energy programs, Utilities Kingston actively invests in making local businesses more competitive and local homes more affordable to live in.

Since 2015, Utilities Kingston has achieved 8,303,000 kWh of annual savings, or 24 per cent of its 2015-2020 provincially mandated electricity conservation target. 

    Utilities Kingston conservation experts were pleased to accept the LDC Champion Award from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). The award recognizes Utilities Kingston's conservation and demand management achievements through the 2011-2014 Save on Energy Programs.

    Utilities Kingston's conservation team was pleased to accept the LDC Champion Award from the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO). The award recognizes Utilities Kingston's conservation and demand management achievements through the 2011-2014 Save on Energy programs.

    Natural Gas Conservation

     In 2016, Utilities Kingston launched its first gas conservation programs and approved incentives towards replacing 22 commercial boilers and furnaces. 

    Projected savings are almost 44,000 cubic metres per year. 

    Proud to be Part of the Community

    A rewarding part of our job is providing one-on-one assistance to help customers save water, energy and money. When someone calls with concerns about the amount of their utility bill, we counsel them on ways to reduce their utility consumption and save money.

    Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli was in Kingston to highlight local efforts to conserve energy through retrofits led by Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation, a manager of rent-geared-to-income and rent-supplemented housing and Utilities Kingston.

    Minister of Energy Bob Chiarelli was in Kingston to highlight local efforts to conserve energy through retrofits led by Kingston & Frontenac Housing Corporation, a manager of rent-geared-to-income and rent-supplemented housing and Utilities Kingston. 

    Here's how else our team engaged the community this year:

    Conservation Outreach in 2016 Click to enlarge
    5380 customers use MyUtilities to better understand their utility use. Over 2500 customers received one-on-one conservation advice from an expert. We attended 38 community events, providing tools and advice to save water and energy. At these events, we delivered 1720 water and energy conservation kits, 864 children's educational activity books, 830 informational fridge magnets, 75000 saveONenergy coupons (combined with other distribution methods), 370 reusable water bottles, 250 water-saving shower timers, 1150 plant seed packets and 3500 dish squeegies.

    For one-on-one assistance to help save water, energy and money, contact our experts at
    613-546-0000, and say ‘conservation’.