Water wise families: 35 ways to save water

By: cath

TAGS: environment tips

We turn the tap on, water flows, and we hardly give it a second thought. Until the water bill arrives!

Water is perhaps our most precious resource, yet one we so often take for granted. Water conservation makes sense both economically and ecologically. Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, and as our population increases it is vital that we are conscious of our water use, and aware of ways to reduce it.

In 2006, the Australian Government introduced WELS (the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standard) to help Aussie families save water and money. You’ll find a label and star rating on any new washing machine, dishwasher, toilet, shower-head or tap you purchase. State and local governments also introduce water restrictions as necessary according to the climate at the time, and often recommend times and days for watering gardens.

But there is still more that families can do to reduce their water usage around the home, and children can be involved in the process of saving water too! Start by playing a guessing game. Put a bucket under a dripping tap, and guess how long it will take for the bucket to fill up. Kids will be surprised at how quickly those little drops add up – and you might be too!

Then try some of these water saving ideas at home:

How to save water inside:

Kitchen

• Catch “warm up” water. Keep a large bowl in the sink to catch running water while you wait for the tap warm up. The water you save can be used for washing fruit and vegetables, or poured out onto plants in the garden.

• Keep a jug of cold water in the fridge. It takes less time to pour a glass than it does to wait for the cold tap to run cold.

• Run a full dishwasher. Provided your dishwasher has a good WELS rating, and you have a full load, using the dishwasher can actually save water. Filling the sink to wash by hand typically requires 9L-15L of water, but you may need to do several loads. Dishwashers use 18L-32L of water.

• Fix leaking taps asap.

Bathroom

• Install a low flow shower head. Regular showers use around 15L of water per minute. Changing the shower head can reduce it down to 9 or 10L per minute.

• Don’t overfill the bath. A young child doesn’t need a full bath. To save water fill the bath only as much as necessary.

• Limit shower length. The shorter the shower, the less water used! Simple.

• Avoid leaving the tap running. Save water by simply turning the tap off when brushing your teeth, washing your face or styling your hair. Don’t leave it running!

• Ensure your toilet is dual flush. A dual flush system uses less-than-half of the amount of water when compared to an older-style single flush toilet. Switching to a water-efficient, well-rated dual-flush toilet can save up to 25,000L of water a year.

• Fix leaking taps asap.

Laundry

• Purchase environmentally friendly washing powder. This may allow you to use grey water from the laundry straight out onto the garden (check your local restrictions first though)
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• Check for water saving settings on your washing machine. Most machines with a high WELS rating allow you to control the level of water in the machine. Some also have an eco-friendly or water-saving mode.

• Pre-treat stains. This is likely to reduce the need for rewashing clothes.

• Fix leaking taps.

How kids can save water inside:

• Pour “warm-up” water onto pot plants.
• Help with stacking and unstacking the dishwasher.
• Help with pressing the buttons on the washing machine.
• Learn to correctly use the full and half flush buttons on the toilet.
• Turn the tap off when brushing their teeth.
• Be leaky tap detectives!

Saving water outside:

Pool

• Invest in a pool cover. A pool cover can prevent up to a whopping 97% of evaporation from backyard pools. As a bonus, a pool cover also reduces your maintenance and cleaning time.
• Check regularly for leaks. If there is a crack somewhere, you’ll be leaking money as well as water.

Garden

• Use free water! Install a rainwater tank for outdoor use.
• Plant natives. When selecting plants for your garden, choose species that are local natives. Once established they are more likely to thrive with the natural amount of rainfall in your area, rather than requiring constant watering.
• Mulch generously. As long as you choose the right type, a good thick layer of mulch can reduce water evaporation from the soil by up to 70%. It will save you on watering (as well as on weeding!).

• Avoid greedy grasses. Save water by choosing a low-maintenance lawn well suited to your area. Better still; opt for a groundcover instead of grass!

• Install a drip system instead of a sprinkler. Sprinklers can waste up to 1000L of water an hour! Install a drip system instead. They allow you to target plants that most need water, and deliver that water to the base of the plant where it can be easily taken up by the roots.

• Use a trigger nozzle. Attaching a trigger nozzle to your hose ensures that water is only flowing when you want it to.

• Fix leaking taps. Outdoor leaks can easily go unnoticed.

Cars

• Wash with a bucket. Save water by filling a bucket rather than leaving the hose running.
• Sweep driveways. Hosing paths and driveways is a huge waste of water. A simple sweep will do.

How kids can save water outside:

• Remind Mum or Dad to cover the pool after swimming.
• Water plants responsibly with a watering can or trigger hose, either early in the morning or late in the afternoon (and in accordance with any local water restrictions).
• Help with mulching the garden.
• Help with selecting and planting local species.
• Sweep paths and driveways with a child sized broom.

The following links may help you to find out about water conservation in your state or territory:

Western Australia
Queensland
Victoria
New South Wales
Tasmania
Northern Territory
South Australia
Australian Capital Territory

These simple tips will help your whole family to be water wise – both inside the home and outdoors.

Do you have any further tips to add? How do you save water around the house? And do your kids get in on the action…?

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