Gatineau maintains water consumption 24% below provincial target in 2024 

Sophie Demers 

The city has released the annual drinking water report which indicates that Gatineau has maintained drinking water consumption at 24% below the provincial target set by the Quebec Drinking Water Saving Strategy (SQEEP).

However, residential consumption is slightly higher than the SQEEP target of 220 liters per day per person. In 2024, Gatineau reported 241 liters per day per person, an increase from 219 liters in 2023. This increase may be attributed in part to the exceptionally hot summer of 2024, the hottest in Gatineau in over a century, which likely led to increased outdoor water use, including lawn watering and pool filling.

Across the whole city, which includes industrial and commercial water consumption, Gatineau recorded 348 liters per person per day. This is under the SQEEP target of 458 liters per day. The city states that the goal was reached in part due to their leak detection and repair program, saving water campaigns, better municipal water management, and improvement to the water system. 

"The results of the 2024 report show that the collective efforts of the city and the population are working,” said Marc Bureau, Parc-de-la Montagne–Saint-Raymond councillor and Chair of Gatineau’s Commission de l’environnement et de la lutte aux changements climatiques.

“Gatineau is putting tools in place, but it's the simple actions of citizens that make all the difference. That said, there is still work to be done, and we will continue our actions to encourage responsible behaviour and ensure sustainable management of this essential resource." 

The SQEEP objectives include a 20% reduction in drinking water consumption across all of Quebec compared to 2015 and a reduction in leakages throughout the system, an increase in investment to maintain the water system and a gradual reduction in the maintenance deficit.