Operating Your Home: Water
Water is a resource that we tend to take for granted. It comes straight to our homes, and with the turn of a tap we have a seemingly endless supply of it. The reality is that clean water is a finite resource and should be respected as the precious resource that it is.
So let's look at ways you can reduce your water consumption at home with some useful water saving tips.
Let's start in the garden:
1 Think before you plant: Research the watering requirements for the plants in your garden as some require less than others. For instance, native plants and succulents typically require less water.
2 Mulch the garden: Mulching your garden helps to keep moisture locked in, reducing your water usage and saving you time!
What about in the bathroom?
Shower Heads: Changing your shower head to a more efficient fixture (with a higher WELS rating) can save thousands of litres of water each year.
Toilets: Pay attention to the big flush / little flush buttons on your toilet!
For single-flush toilets with an excessive flush, you could try putting a displacement device (such as a water bottle) in the cistern.
What is a WELS rating?
The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) is a rating system used to determine the water efficiency of various products. The higher the star rating, the more water efficient the product, with 6 stars being the highest.
Here's a quick guide of how many stars to look for on different fixtures:
Shower heads: 3 stars and above
Toilets: 4 stars and above
Taps: 4 stars and above
Dishwashers: 4 stars and above
Washing Machines: 4 stars and above
No rainwater tank? No worries!
If you don’t have a rain water tank (yet), don’t worry, you can still collect rainwater to use on your garden.
Pick any vessel, the bigger the better, and leave it out to collect the rain. You could even collect shower water while waiting for the hot water to kick in.
Just make sure you're using it regularly!
Finally, be sure to watch for leaks!
If you find one, fix it as soon as possible and catch the leaking water to use on the garden in the meantime.
If you're worried your toilet is leaking, you can use dyes to test it.
Hot tip: don't over-tighten your taps. The wear can lead to leakage.