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As we are coming in to summer it might be a good time to review your water usage in your home and to look at how you can save water. There are many resources on the internet providing water saving tips including the Water Corporation and the ABC websites. For convenience I’ve noted the best tips here:

10 Water Saving Tips for Inside the Home

1. Don’t flush rubbish down the toilet. Every time you flush the toilet you use between 3 and 11 litres of water so flush wisely.
2. Take shorter showers. I find this difficult because I love long, hot showers but I know it’s wasteful so I’m trying to change my habits. An average shower uses 12 litres of water per minute so every minute counts.
3. Only run the dishwasher when it’s full. Older dishwashers are particularly wasteful of water so only run it when it’s full or upgrade to a more efficient model.
4. Only run your washing machine when you have a full load. As with dishwashers, newer models are generally more water efficient. If you’re going to upgrade, consider a front loading machine as these are generally more water efficient, as well as being gentler on your clothes.
5. Fix leaking taps. A dripping tap can result in thousands of litres of wasted water per year. Regularly check taps to make sure they are in good condition.
6. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. There is no need to keep the water running while you are brushing your teeth, it serves no purpose at all. Turn it off and save.
7. Turn the tap off while saving. Again, there is no need to keep the water running. You may think it’s inconvenient to turn the tap on and off but if you let it run while shaving you’ll be wasting tens of thousands of litres of water.
8. Wash fruit and vegetables in the sink or in a bowl to prevent wastage.
9. Install AAA rated shower heads which will save you water without you even realising it.
10. Hand wash dishes in a sink of soapy water rather than letting the water run constantly.

10 Water Saving Tips for Outside of the Home

1. Improve your soil. Add organic matter and compost to help retain moisture in the soil and to promote healthy plants.
2. Mulch your garden beds regularly. Adding at least 5cm of a natural mulch will help prevent evaporation and keep the soil moist.
3. Use slow release fertilisers. This will result in steady growth of your plants which will be less of a burden on water resources.
4. Fill garden beds with plants. This will help prevent evaporation, keep the soil moist, and help prevent weeds.
5. Use a pool cover for your pool. Pools are significant water wasters. Using a pool cover will help prevent evaporation as well as keeping your pool clean.
6. Install a drip irrigation system. This way of watering your garden is much more efficient than a regular watering system.
7. Water deeply and less often to encourage deeper roots and stronger plants. This will make them less reliant on watering and also more drought tolerant.
8. Never water your garden in the heat of the day as this is when evaporation levels are at their highest.
9. Never hose down driveways or paths. This is a senseless waste of water. Use a broom or vacuum instead.
10. Park your car on your lawn when washing it. This will reduce the level of detergents entering waterways as well as watering your lawn.

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