Water saving ideas

Overview

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

Kitchens account for up to 20% of your indoor water usage, here are a few ideas to help save water:

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

Run cold water into a bucket for re-use on the garden before the hot water starts to flow


In the bathroom

There are plenty of ways to save water in the bathroom, here are a few ideas:

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

Toilets

  • Upgrade old toilets and install a modern dual flush cisterns
  • Check regularly for toilet leaks, try putting a small amount of food colouring into the tank and observing 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


In the garden

Saving water in the garden is easy, here are a few ideas:

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, install a timer to prevent wastage
  • When watering the garden use a trigger nozzle hand held hose and only water were 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.


In the laundry

Here are some helpful ways 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