Water

Around 10% of your household water use occurs in the kitchen. Here are some easy ways to save water:

• Install an aerator on your taps. These are inexpensive, cut down your water use instantly, and are a great way to save water without even thinking about it.   
• Scrape your plate before rinsing and compost your scraps. 
• If rinsing your vegetables, collect the rinse water in a container and use it on your garden.
• If you are waiting for hot water, collect it in a container and use it on your garden.
• If you need to replace your dishwasher choose one with a high WELS rating. WELS stands for National Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme. The more stars you have the more efficient your dishwasher is.
• Only use the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Washing machines can use up to 20% of your household water. Save water with the tips below:

• Only run your washing machine when you have a full load. Washing with a full load can save up to 10 litres of water per wash. This will also save energy too.
• Look for a washing machine with a good WELS rating - four or more stars is best.
• Pre-treat stains before loading into your machine. There are some great eco friendly 'stain-sticks' available these days which cut down on packaging and harsh chemicals too.
• If possible, use tank water in your laundry. This is a great way to cut down on town water use.
• Investigate whether your laundry water can be diverted into a greywater system for use on your garden. This will help keep your garden thriving in times of drought or low rainfall.

Almost half of your household water use occurs in the bathroom. Use these simple tips to save water:

• Install a water-efficient showerhead. Old style showerheads use up to 20 litres of water per minute while modern water efficient showerheads use no more than 9 litres per minute.
• Limit your shower to four minutes. This will help save energy too. Here are some four minute songs(PDF, 117KB)  to help you stay on track.
• Use a bucket to collect water while waiting for the shower to get hot and use the water on your garden or potted plants.
• If you are taking a bath, only fill the tub as much as needed and bucket your used bath water onto the garden.
• Choose a top-rated dual flush toilet with a four star water efficiency rating. These toilets use just 4.5 litres for a full flush and 3 litres for a half flush compared with 18 litres for an old style single flush toilet.
• If you have an old style toilet but it is not going to be replaced, put a water filled plastic bottle or a brick in your cistern to reduce the volume used with each flush.
• Consider altering your plumbing so you can flush the toilet using rainwater or greywater.
• Check your toilet for leaks. First, remove the lid of your cistern. Then, place a few drops of food dye into the cistern. Do not flush your toilet for 10-15 minutes. If the dye has seeped down into the bowl when you return, then you know you have a leak. Toilet leaks are often the result of the rubber valve in the cistern deteriorating. You can contact a licensed plumber to fix this for you.

There is a lot you can do to save water in your garden. Follow these simple tips:

• Add mulch, such as straw, leaf clippings and wood chips. Mulch can reduce evaporation from the soil by up to 70%.
• Add compost to your soil. Compost increases the organic content of the soil, which helps to retain water.
• Group plants together with similar watering requirements.
• Choose native species and other plants with low water requirements.
• Water infrequently but deeply to encourage good root development.
• Reduce compaction. Compacted soil leads to run-off. Keep soil loose and aerated so water can penetrate.
• Use the landscape to store water. Create ponds and swales to keep water on-site.
• Use plants to store water. Select some fleshy plants that store water, such as taro, then use the "chop and drop" method to make this water available for other plants.
• Water the garden with rainwater or greywater. If you do not have a plumbed greywater system you can do simple things such as collecting bath and shower water in a bucket.

Swimming pools use a huge amount of water, but if they are designed well to use rainwater and protected with a pool cover you can minimise the amount of water they use. Follow these simple tips:

• Use a pool cover to reduce evaporation. Pool covers range from simple leaf covers (which reduce evaporation by around 40%) through to thicker blankets and security covers (which can reduce evaporation by up to 90%).
• Increase shade. Covering your pool with a shade sail will further reduce evaporation as well as protecting swimmers from the sun.
• Reduce wind exposure. Wind increases evaporation. Adjust the landscape around your pool with walls and hedges that create shelter from the wind.
• Reduce backwash on your filter. Sand filters require backwashing which can use up to 8,000 litres of water every year. Purchase a cartridge filter if you are installing a new pool or replacing the filter. Cartridge filters do not require backwashing to be cleaned so they use less water.
• Capture rainwater to refill your pool. Installing a rainwater tank is a great way to reduce the use of mains water in your swimming pool. A rainwater diverter is another option. These attach to a downpipe and can be used to divert rainwater into your swimming pool. In large downpours, you will need to monitor the water level in your pool so that it does not overflow.