One of the simplest ways to save water is to use less just by changing a few habits. You can do this by reducing shower times (and don’t shave or brush your teeth in the shower!) and by flushing the toilet less often—the adage ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown, flush it down’ applies here—unless that’s too gross for you!Fix leaking toilets
Leaking toilets can waste a lot of water—up to 10 litres per hour or more. If you can visibly see water flowing into the bowl, or hear the cistern ‘hissing’ as water flows into it to replace what is leaking, then you should get it fixed immediately.
Fix dripping taps
Like a leaking toilet, a dripping tap can waste a large amount of water—up to 10 litres a day or more for a fast drip. Having new tap washers installed is usually all that needs to be done to fix the problem,.
Convert your toilet to a reduced flush
Reducing the quantity of water flushed by your toilet is very easy, and can be as simple as filling a two-litre soft drink bottle with water and placing it inside the cistern. If you need to replace your toilet suite, then make sure you get an ultra-low flush toilet like the new 4.5/3 litre units that are now available.
Install a AAA rated shower head
There is a huge range of AAA (or better) rated shower heads available. A trip to your local hardware or home renovation store will provide many options, and some stores are even set up so that you can test the flows of the most popular models.
Install an Every Drop Shower Saver
This is installed between where the shower head connects to wall and allows you to instantly pause the water flow without turning your taps on and off.
Install flow restrictors
Flow restrictors fit either inside the tap or on the tap to reduce water flow. Sink swishers make much better use of the reduced water flow than a standard tap, allowing tasks like rinsing of dishes to be done more efficiently with less water, just like a water saving shower head.
Install a drip irrigation system
A drip irrigation system, especially a sub-surface one, can save a great deal of water in the garden compared to hand watering with a hose and spray gun. Drip systems allow you to get water directly to the plants’ roots with minimal evaporation, and they also allow you to use recycled water at lower risk of potential health issues.
Reuse your greywater
Whether you use the simple ‘bucket’ method to collect greywater, or have a complete greywater collection and reuse system installed, reusing this valuable resource can greatly reduce your water use.It makes very little sense allowing water that has only been used to rinse clothes in a washing machine (unless you are washing nappies), or rinse a human in the shower, to go straight into the sewer.
Buy efficient appliances
New appliances such as washing machines and dishwashers have water ratings labels on them that tell you how much water they use. If you have an appliance that needs replacing, then you should look for a machine that uses as little water and energy as possible.
