Saving water in the house

We can’t think of a better place to start to use water wisely than in our own homes. It's where we spend most of our time and where we have the most control over how things are done.

In the kitchen

Only use your
dishwasher when
it is full

Use an aerator and/or a water flow-reducer attachment on your tap to reduce your water usage
Always turn taps off tightly so they do not drip
When hand-washing dishes, never run water continuously
If you have an electric dishwasher, use it only to wash full loads, and use the shortest cycle possible. Many dishwashers have a conserver/water-miser cycle
When cleaning fruit and vegetables, never do so under a continuously running tap. Wash them in a partially filled sink and then rinse them quickly under the tap
Keep a bottle of drinking water in your refrigerator instead of running your tap until the water gets cool each time you want some water.

In the bathroom

Turn off the tap when
brushing your teeth

About 65% of indoor home water use occurs in our bathrooms, and toilets are the single greatest water users

You can reduce water usage by about 20% by placing a weighted plastic bottle filled with water in the water tank of your toilet. Low-cost "inserts" for the toilet tank are an alternative to plastic bottles. With a toilet insert, a family of four could save 45,000 litres of water per year.
Toilet inserts are available at most hardware and plumbing supply stores
You can reduce water usage by 40% to 50% by installing low-flush toilets
Flush your toilet only when really necessary. Never use the toilet as a garbage can to dispose of cigarette butts, paper tissues, etc.
Never flush rubbish of any kind down the toilet. Household cleaners, paints, solvents, pesticides, and other chemicals can be very harmful to the environment. And paper nappies, dental floss, plastic tampon holders, etc. can create problems at sewage treatment plants
Check regularly for toilet tank leaks into the toilet bowl by putting a small amount of food colouring into the tank and observing whether it spreads to the bowl without flushing
Repair leaks promptly. Ensure that the float ball is properly adjusted so that the tank water level does not exceed the height of the overflow tube
Regularly check for leaks at the base of your toilet and have any promptly repaired
When washing or shaving, partially fill the sink and use that water rather than running the tap continuously. (This saves about 60% of the water normally used.) Use short bursts of water to clean razors
When brushing your teeth, turn the water off while you are actually brushing instead of running it continuously. Then use the tap again for rinsing and use short bursts of water for cleaning your brush. (This saves about 80% of the water normally used.)
Always turn taps off tightly so they do not drip
Use aerators and/or water flow-reducer devices on all your taps
Use either low-flow shower heads or adjustable flow-reducer devices on your shower heads. (They reduce flow by at least 25%.)
Short showers use less water than baths, but if you still prefer bathing, avoid overfilling the bath

In the laundry room

Only use full loads
in your washing
machine

Wash only full loads in your washing machine
Use the shortest cycle possible for washing clothes, and use the "suds-saver" feature if your machine has one
If your washer has an adjustable water-level indicator, set the dial to use only as much water as is really necessary
If you have a septic system, spread out your washing to avoid heavy-use days that could overload the system
Use only cleaning products that will not harm the environment when they are washed away after use. Look for "environmentally friendly" products when shopping
Promptly repair any leaks around the taps, hoses, or fittings of your washer, or the taps of your laundry sink .