Saving Water - 20 Great Tips

Tips and water use info from the book ‘365 Water Saving Tips’, Published by Hinkler Books Pty Ltd, Heatherton Victoria.

Since the majority of water usage occurs inside the home, we have put together some useful water saving tips to help you reduce your water usage and save you money.

In the Kitchen

Did you know that 5-15% of a household’s water use is in the kitchen?

A dishwasher uses 20-50 litres of water per cycle.

Washing dishes by hand uses about 18 litres of water.

A kitchen sink when completely full holds approx 24 litres of water.

Don’t let the tap run while you wait for it to warm up or cool down, without first placing the plug in the sink to collect all the water.

You can also run this initial water into a container, which can be poured onto the garden or into pot plants.

Try filling your sink by half, just enough to cover your dishes when washing them.

Save all your dishes until the evening and wash them all in one go.

Start by washing the least dirty dishes first, and then the leave the dirtiest till last.

In the Bathroom

Approx 14- 25% of a household’s water use is in the bathroom.

Washing your hands can use up to 5 litres of water.

The basin tap can use 15 litres a minute.

Don’t leave the tap running while you are brushing your teeth, or having a shave. If shaving, then perhaps fill the sink partially for rinsing your razor and face.

When waiting for the shower water to warm up, place a bucket in the shower to catch this water, and pour onto the garden later.

Take shorter showers and even purchase a 4 minute egg timer and adjust your showering routine to 4 minutes.

If your family members prefer a bath, and if your shower is over the bath then allow the showers to be taken first with the plug in, and the last person to use the water can have their bath last. You might need to top up with warmer water to get the right temperature!

In the Toilet

Approx 20% of a household’s water use is in the toilet.

Please note that a modern toilet uses 9 litres of water on full flush, and 4.5 litres on half flush.

Consider (this may be hard for some) not flushing the toilet every time it is used. In the USA a great water saving ad campaign promoted ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down!’

In the Laundry

Approx 15-35% of a household water use is in the laundry.

A top loading washing machine uses 170-265 litres per wash where as a front loading washing machine only uses about 100 litres per wash.

If your clothes are not very dirty, only use the shortest wash cycle on  your washing machine.

Pre-treating stains before washing will reduce the chance of the need for re-washing after coming out of the washing machine.

Instead of using the woollens and delicate cycle on a washing machine, consider hand washing these items.

Older washing machines use enough water per cycle to fill a bath!

Around the House

Washing the car with the hose can use anywhere from 50- 300 litres per wash.

Evaporation from an uncovered pool can over the course of a year equal the entire volume of the pool!

Ensure all taps inside and outside are turned off tight. Don’t force them too tight however as this can damage the washer, causing more leaking.

Don’t buy children toys that require a steady flow and use of water like slip’n slides, or need constant filling like water guns. Not only do these items require water, sometimes children tend to leave taps running while using them.

In the Garden

Use these tips only in line with your relevant and current watering restrictions.

Up to 35% of water usage in a household can be used in the garden (without water restrictions in place).

Don’t assume your garden needs watering. Check the soil first around plants to see if it is dry before watering.

A good soaking on the garden once or twice per week is better than watering every day.

Don’t allow more than a centimetre of water to accumulate on the ground. This excess water can easily run off and be wasted.

If your garden is on a slope, just water for short periods so that runoff water doesn’t escape and be wasted.

Check your four day weather forecast to see if good rain is expected before watering.