Water-wise Tips
A quick shower uses less hot water than a bath in a full tub. If you prefer the bathtub don't overfill it, 1/2 full should be enough.
You can save 10-20 litres of water each time you shave by filling the basin instead of letting the water run continuously.
Turn off taps tightly but gently so they do not drip.
A quick shower uses less hot water than a bath in a full tub. If you prefer the bathtub don't overfill it, 1/2 full should be enough.
Flush the toilet only when necessary. Never use it as a wastebasket for tissues etc and never flush cotton buds, paints, solvents or other chemicals down the toilet.
If you don't have a dual flush toilet, you are using about 18 litres or more per flush. Over the course of a year, that means each of us uses about 30,000 litres of water to dispose of about 650 litres of body waste. If you don't have a dual flush toilet, it may be time to change.
There is nothing like a long hot shower - which is why the shower is the second heaviest water user in the house, averaging flow rates of 15 to 20 litres per minute. Your best bet is to install a low flow shower head. A typical household could save up to 1000 litres of water each week.
Low flow aerators can be attached to taps in the kitchen sink and hand basins which can reduce the flow rate by 50 per cent.
Using the short cycle on your dishwasher can save up to 75% of your water use per wash.
An automatic clothes washer can use from 150 to 250 litres of water for each cycle - about 20% of total indoor water use. Many washers allow you to adjust the amount of water according to the size of the load. If yours doesn't, let the laundry build up until you have a full load.
If you are investing in a new washing machine, consider one with conservation features. Choose a washing machine with load size selector and variable water control.
Up to 90 per cent of the energy used for washing clothes goes to heat the water. Washing in warm water not only cuts back on your energy bills, it's easier on your clothes.
Consider installing a water tank to supply the water for your garden. Talk to your retail water company.
Mulch your garden regularly. You save, and your plants love it!
Visit our WaterWise Plants site and see how wonderful a water-efficient garden can be.
If you sweep your driveway or paving with a rake or broom, rather than using a running hose, it will save 200 litres of water.
Using a running hose to wash your car can waste about 400 litres of water. Using a bucket with a sponge will save you about 300 of those litres.
Consider covering your pool or turning off any heating over winter. It saves on energy, and on water evaporation.
One Megalitre is about the same size as an Olympic swimming pool. If each house in Melbourne had one leaking tap, we'd be wasting over 26 Megalitres each year!