Water Use
Water Use shows how to reduce the water you use inside and outside your home through improved water use efficiency, by using rainwater and wastewater and by designing your garden to need less water.
STORMWATER
- The garden is one area where changes will reduce water usage significantly.
Maintaining lawn areas in climates that require frequent watering is an inefficient and expensive habit. Plant groundcover and drought tolerate vegetation instead. Mulch in the gardens that are planted to increase water retention and decrease evaporation and runoff.
- Soil that has been improved by the addition of organic matter retains water better that untreated soil. Deep rooting plants break up compacted soil.
INDOOR WATER USE
Water efficient appliances, and faucets and fixtures save significant amounts of water on a daily basis with no change in routine.
WAYS TO MINIMISE WATER USE
- Minimise paving of outdoor areas as this increases heat radiation and water run-off from the site.
- Wash cars and bikes on the lawn so that the grass is watered at the same time as cleaning takes place.
- Sweep your paths and drives instead of hosing them down.
- Fix leaking toilets immediately. A slow, barely visible leak can waste more than 4,000 litres per year. Visible, constant leaks can waste over 95,000 litres annually.
- Check for leaks by placing a couple of drops of food colouring or dye into the tank. If colour appears in the bowl after 15 minutes without flushing, then a leak exists and the system should be repaired.
- Replace the toilet with a 6 litre/3 litre dual flush toilet.
- Fix leaks immediately.
- Don't over tighten taps. This can wear the washer and cause leaks.
- Install a tap flow aerator or regulator to decrease the amount of water through taps not required for volume based uses, such as kitchen and bathroom sink taps.
- Ensure that all new taps are water efficient.
- Install mixer taps in showers. They can reduce the potential for scalding and save large quantities of hot water (often lost through running shower taps while trying to get a comfortable water temperature).
- Install separate hot and cold taps or mixer taps that provide cold water only in the middle position over basins and sinks. Mixer type taps are usually left in the middle position. This means that each time the tap is run for a glass of water or to rinse a toothbrush, hot water is drawn off to cool in the pipe without ever being used.
WASHING MACHINES
- The laundry is a great place to reduce your water consumption. There are a number of ways to improve the efficiency of your water use in the laundry.
- Adjust the water level on the machine so it is appropriate for the size of the load. Try to wash only full loads of laundry and use the 'economy' cycle if you have one.
- Use the 'suds saver' function if your machine has one.
- Front loading machines will save approximately 50 litres of water per load, they are also gentler on your clothes and require less detergent.
DISHWASHING
- A few simple ways to use your water more efficiently when washing dishes are:
- Avoid rinsing prior to washing. Scrape food remains off dishes and dispose of them in the garbage bin rather than rinsing them away.
- Always use a plug in the sink rather than letting the tap run continuously.
- Use a sink strainer to remove food scraps from the waste water.
- Newer model dishwashers are very water efficient and can use less water than if you wash dishes by hand (depending on your water use habits). The water use of dishwashers can range from 1.6 litres to 4.8 litres per place setting, with efficient machines using 18 litres of water or less per cycle.
- Always try to fully load the dishwasher before using it and use the 'economy' cycle if you have one.
OTHER WATER WASTERS
- In-sink waste disposal units use water when operating and also mix waste water with food scraps. Rather than using in-sink disposal units, dispose of organic waste material in a compost heap or worm farm.
Water heaters release water through a release valve when they are heating water. Have a professional check the release valves on your water heater. The amount of water used may be minimised by setting the release rate to the minimum recommended by the manufacturer. Turn your heater off when going on holidays so that water is not being heated and wasted while you are away.
- Evaporative air conditioners have a bleed valve that releases water while the air conditioner is in use. Ensure that the bleed valve is set to the minimum required for the air conditioner to work, and make sure the air conditioner is turned off when you go on holidays.