Water saving ideas

Did you know that kitchens account for up to 20% of your indoor water usage?

Here are a few ideas to help save water in the kitchen:

At the sink

• Install an efficient low-flow tap, aerator or a water flow-reducer attachment on your tap and this will help reduce water usage.
• Always turn taps off so they do not drip.

Washing dishes

• When hand-washing dishes, never run water continuously.
• When using a dishwasher only wash full loads and use the shortest cycle possible. Many dishwashers have a water conservation cycle.

Food preparation

• When cleaning fruit and vegetables, wash them in a partially filled sink and then rinse them quickly under the tap.

Drinking water

• Keep a bottle of chilled drinking water in your refrigerator instead of running your tap until the water gets cool each time you want some water.

Re-purpose and re-use water

• Before the hot water starts to flow, capture the cold water into a bucket for re-use on the garden.

Typical bathroom water usage includes showers and baths, toilet flushing and tap use, with showers and baths accounting for a large portion of daily water consumption. A standard shower can use 9–19 liters per minute, a bath 100–150 liters, and a dual-flush toilet uses 3–6 liters per flush.

Here are a few ideas to save water in the bathroom:

Showers

• Try and encourage the family to take short 4-minute showers.
• Short showers use less water than baths, but if you still prefer bathing, avoid overfilling the bath.
• Capture shower water in a bucket while you are waiting for the hot water to heat up, your plants will love it.

Toilet

• Upgrade old toilets and install a modern dual flush cistern.
• Check regularly for toilet leaks, try putting a small amount of food colouring into the tank and observe whether it seeps to the bowl without flushing.

Shaving

• When shaving, partially fill the sink and use that water rather than running the tap continuously. Use short bursts of water to clean razors.

Brushing your teeth

• Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth and only turn the tap on to rinse or clean the brush.

Taps

• Use aerators and/or water flow-reducer devices on all your taps.

Typical water usage in the garden can vary, but as a general guideline we recommend watering lawns and garden beds using a sprinkler set to a timer in the early morning or late afternoon. 

Here are more ideas to help save water in the garden:

Nature's best

• Watch the weather forecast, if rain is coming you won’t need to water the garden.
• Install a rainwater tank for garden use.

Paths and driveways

• Use a broom, rake or outdoor blower to clean paths and driveways.
• A pressure washer is more efficient in saving water than a garden hose, they have 10-50% more pressure and use up to 80% less water.

Taps, hose connections and sprinklers

• Make sure taps and hose fittings are not leaking, a dripping tap can waste more than 2000 litres a month.
• A forgotten sprinkler can waste thousands of litres of water. Set a timer to prevent wastage.
• When watering the garden use a trigger nozzle handheld hose and only water where required.

Watering the garden

• Water your garden in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid water evaporation.
• Don't water when it is windy.

Plants and mulch

• Choose the right plants, there are many water-wise varieties available which require much less maintenance and watering.
• Mulching the garden is a great way to reduce evaporation and water run-off. Good quality mulch will also provide nutrients and reduce weed growth.

Cars and boats

• Wash your car or boat on the lawn and water the grass at the same time.

Typical water usage varies significantly by washing machine type, with a modern front-loader using around 50-60 litres, while an older top-loader can use 110-150 litres. 

Here are some helpful ideas to save water in the laundry:

Washing machines

• 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.

Re-purpose and re-use water

• Use environmentally friendly washing products that can be captured and re-used on the garden.
• Install a greywater system to capture your used washing water to re-use on your garden.