Water usage is on the minds of many Sydney homeowners, and with water prices on the rise, right now is a great time to review your water usage to ensure that you are not wasting water unnecessarily. Here are some practical tips to help you save water at home, and keep more money in the bank!
Water saving in the kitchen
According to Sydney Water, an individual in Sydney uses 295 litres of water per day on average! Sydney is home to about 5 million people. Imagine how much water could be saved if we were more water conscious at home.
Save water by starting in the kitchen.
- Using the dishwasher – Wait until the dishwasher is full before turning it on. When buying a dishwasher be sure to check the star rating and select an energy efficient dishwasher.
- Leaking taps – Just one leaking tap can cost you nearly two thousand litres of water usage over a month. Fixing leaking taps is one quick way to save water in the home.
- Check for hidden leaks – You could have a plumbing leak hidden from sight. If you identify a leak, call your plumber right away to avoid wasting any more water and prevent these leaks turning into an even bigger problem.
- Use two sinks – Washing up with two sinks will help you avoid doing the washing up with the tap running. If you don’t have the luxury of two sinks, purchase a divider to create a double sink.
- Washing vegetables – Rinse and wash vegetables in a half full sink of water rather than under running water. The vegetables will get a more thorough wash using less water.
- Thaw food – Thaw food in the fridge or the microwave rather than using running water.
How to save water in the bathroom
A whopping 18 litres of water is used per minute when showering. If you’re showering for 10 minutes, twice a day, thats 360 litres of water! Now multiply that by all of the people in your household… and that’s just the shower.
Follow our water saving tips to conserve water in the bathroom.
- Have shorter showers – Even though this gets harder in the warmer months, it’s best not to linger too long in the shower. Those extra minutes add up!
- Turn the water off – Turning the tap off when brushing your teeth will help you save water. The same goes for the shower. Turn off the water when washing your hair or shaving. You’ll be surprised how much water this will save you. Sydney Water recommends keeping your showers to 4 minutes.
- Change your shower head – Using a 3-star showerhead only uses 9 litres per minute as opposed to 18 litres.
- Use a dual flush toilet – While most toilets these days have a dual flush, some people are still using a single flush. The best part is, you won’t have to replace your toilet to use this option, just the cistern.
- Install sensor taps – This is a great option for those who are prone to leaving the tap on and walking away.
Save water in the laundry
Did you know, an average washing machine uses 99 litres per load? Swapping to a machine with a 4.5 star rating will instead use 40.5 litres per load.
- Fill your washing machine – Wait until you have a full load before turning on the washing machine.
- Use a front loader – Choosing a front loading washing machine is a great way to save water. Purchase one with a 4 star rating or more.
- Change the size cycle – If you do need to wash a smaller amount of washing, use a ‘small load’ setting instead.
- Be cautious when hand washing – When hand washing your clothes, gather multiple items to wash at the same time. Use a bucket or plug up the sink to avoid using more water than necessary. Using a small amount of detergent will also mean less water is needed to wash the suds out.
- Wear your clothing more than once – In some cases, your clothing can be worn a second time before putting it in the wash. If you haven’t worn that t-shirt for longer than a few hours, ask yourself, does it really need washing?
Water saving yard ideas
Sydney Water’s statistics tell us the average garden hose uses 16 litres of water per minute. As dry weather continues throughout Australia, it’s important to be water wise in the yard, as well as the home.
Save water by following these tips.
- Install a rainwater tank – Contribute to a sustainable future and harvest your rainwater. There are many different sizes and tanks you can use, meaning you’ll be sure to find one to suit your home.
- Wash your car on the lawn – Make sure the water you use on your car gets used twice by washing your car on the lawn. It will actually fertilise the lawn at the same time as the phosphates found in the shampoo are similar to fertilisers.
- Get the broom out – Use a broom or rake instead of using a hose and water to remove dirt and plant debris from your balcony, path or driveway.
- Use a trigger nozzle – Control the water you use by using a trigger nozzle. This will save you from running back and forth to the tap. Also ensure you are watering the garden before 10am and after 4pm.
- Use a watering can – A watering can is not only a great option to collect rainwater, but will ensure you only water those areas that need it.
Adopt Water Efficient Behaviours
Some simple changes to daily routines can help to reduce your water use substantially. None of these changes are particularly painful, they just require some discipline and a little forethought. Running water is costly so following these simple water saving strategies will reduce the amount of water that you let drain down the sink.
If you are looking for help in reducing your water use around the home or want to track down that annoying water leak, the team at JEDI Plumbing are ready to help.
If you are looking for help in reducing your water use around the home or want to track down that annoying water leak, the team at JEDI Plumbing is ready to help residents and business on Sydney’s North Shore and Northern Beaches. Call us today on 0411 774 381.
