Water Saving

How can residents help to save water?

You can help cut your own water bills - and help the environment in general - by following these tips on saving water:

A medium sized bath, about 1 500mm or 1650mm long, is as comfortable and cleansing as a big bath, and uses a great deal less water.
Conventional showerheads deliver water at flow rates above 25 litres/min. A perfectly pleasant shower can, however, be obtained with flow rates well below 10 litres/min. Showerheads with flow rates as low as 4,5 litres/min are available and their use will show a significant saving. Advice should be sought from a registered plumber.
Install washbasin taps with aerator outlets. The aerator mixes air with the water, resulting in a lower flow rate (five to 10 litres per minute, which splashes less and feels quite pleasant on the skin).
Install toilets that have cisterns with a maximum flush capacity of nine litres.
Ensure that overflow pipes and drainpipes terminate at places where they can be readily seen and managed.
If the kitchen is remote from the water heater, consider installing a small one (15 litre capacity) or an instantaneous type water heater at the sink.
Consider installing a pressure control valve in your supply system to reduce the mains pressure to a maximum of 300 kPa. In many cases, a pressure of only 200 kPa will be enough to operate the water fittings effectively. This will help you save money in other ways. A pressure control valve will reduce unnecessarily high flow rates from the outlets and will increase the life of fittings, washers and the hoses on appliances. A registered plumber should be consulted to advise on these possibilities as a retrofit option.
You're probably spending a lot on watering your garden. Indigenous plants are far less water-hungry than exotics.
Avoid washing down the driveway with a hose. Sweeping is just as effective.
Don't put anything down the toilet besides toilet paper.
Fix cistern or tap leaks immediately. A leaking tap means 6 000 to 12 000 litres of water is lost every month.
Don't dump any foreign objects into sewer manholes and gulleys.
Don't cover manhole covers with heavy or immoveable objects.
Consider installing modern dual flush cistern toilets. Each flush of the toilet uses 10-12 litres of water.

Water Conservation

Don't buy a water-using product without finding out how water-efficiency ratings can save you money and help the environment.

Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme

The WELS Scheme is Australia's new water efficiency labelling scheme, which allows consumers to compare the water efficiency of different products.

By buying more water-efficient products you can save money on water and electricity bills and help the environment.

The rating system is similar to the energy rating labelling, with six stars. The more stars the better. As well as a star rating the labels also show a water consumption or water flow figure.

Why WELS?

Choosing more efficient products helps Australia save water.

By 2021 Australians could save more than $600 million through reduced water and energy bills by simply choosing more efficient products. By 2021 it is estimated that using water efficient products will help to:

Reduce domestic water use by five per cent or 87,200 megalitres each year.
Save about 610,000 megalitres (more water than in Sydney Harbour).
Nearly half the water savings will come from more efficient washing machines, about 25 per cent from showers and 22 per cent from toilets.

For more information on the WELS Scheme, visit www.waterrating.gov.au.

What can I do?

Water conservation is good practice whether or not there is a drought.

Shire residents have, in the past, had ready access to an abundance of water much of the time, and we're accustomed to having water available at the twist of a tap. However, demands on our precious water resources are increasing. Over the past thirty years, individual water use has increased dramatically and is likely to rise even more unless we take action now.

In order to ensure adequate water resources for our future needs, we must put conservation measures into effect now.

Practicing water conservation on a regular basis can prevent or postpone the building of new water supply infrastructure.

When utilities are able to reduce demand, they can frequently extend the life of existing infrastructure, saving their consumers the cost of building or renovating.

Conservation can also reduce the amount of water that needs to be processed by wastewater treatment plants, again preserving infrastructure and also reducing the amount of waste discharged to streams and rivers.

Finally, sound water use practices can make us more resilient during times of drought, negating the need for mandatory interventions.

Did you know that landscape watering and toilets use the largest amount of water in your home?

Here are some things YOU can do to SAVE water:

Consider converting to low-water landscaping, also known as Xeriscape. Select plants, shrubs, and trees that need minimal water.
Consider drip irrigation for plants, shrubs, and trees.
Water your lawn early in the morning or later in the evening (but not too late, otherwise you will encourage fungal growth). Limit the water you use to approximately one inch per week, including rainfall. For best results, moisten the soil between 4 and 6 inches deep with each watering. This will encourage growth of a deep root structure that is more drought-resistant.
Better yet, go for the gold and let your lawn go golden for the summer months.
If you have an older home, convert to water efficient toilets (1.6 gallons per flush), taps and showerheads (2.5 gallons per minute - up to 75 per cent less than conventional taps and showerheads).
Take shorter showers.
Don't let the water run when you are shaving, brushing your teeth, or hand washing dishes. Turn on the tap only when you need it! Additionally, don't use taps at full pressure.
Make sure you have a full load before running your washing machine or dishwasher.

TIPS FOR THE HOME

Approximately 60 per cent of total household water supply is used inside the home in three main areas: the kitchen, the bathroom and the laundry. Follow these tips to reduce water use indoors:

Make sure all taps are tightly turned off and not leaking: A leaking tap could waste up to 18,000 litres or 4,000 gal/year
Replace old taps with new water-efficient models or install aerators to reduce flow

In the kitchen

Run dishwasher only when full
Consider water use when purchasing a new dishwasher: New water and energy efficient models use 20% less water
Defrost food in refrigerator instead of using running water: A running tap uses about 5 litres of water per minute
Use a dishpan or plug the sink when hand-washing dishes
Don't pre-rinse dishes before loading the dishwasher
Keep a container of water in the refrigerator rather than waiting for cold water from tap

In the bathroom

Install low flow toilets or toilet dams
Test all toilets regularly for leaks: A leaking toilet could waste up 450 litres/day
Do not use the toilet as a wastebasket
Replace old showerheads: Low flow showerheads can save 15 litres/min
Take shorter showers
Turn off water when shaving or brushing teeth

In the laundry

Run full loads of laundry instead of many small loads
Consider energy and water efficiency when purchasing new laundry machines: Newer models use 40 per cent less water and can save up to 40,000 litres/year

TIPS FOR OUTSIDE

40 per cent of total household water supply is used outside the home. Our precious water resources are daily sprinkled, squirted, dripped, gushed and often wasted outside the home. Follow these tips to reduce water use outdoors:

Landscape Irrigation

Install efficient irrigation systems such as drip irrigation, soil soakers, and efficient sprinkler systems
Set sprinklers for garden only, don't water the street or sidewalk
Water the lawn only when the ground is dry and preferably no more than once a week: The amount of water used by a sprinkler in one hour is equal to the daily water needs of a family of four
Water during the coolest part of the day (preferably morning) and never water on windy days: As much as 30 per cent of water used can be lost to evaporation by watering lawn at midday
Pull weeds to decrease competition for water
Increase mowing height to 50mm to 75mm (2-3 inches) and apply mulch to both reduce evaporation and prevent weed growth
Limit grass areas and use trees, shrubs, and other plants that require less water to landscape your yard: Grass requires 30-50 per cent more water than shrubs and other groundcovers

Other Outdoor Use

Repair or replace leaking hoses and sprinklers
Always use an automatic shut-off nozzle on hoses
Use a broom rather than a hose to clean decks, footpaths, and other paved areas: 5 minutes of running the hose uses 120 litres of water
Collect rainwater for reuse in the garden whenever possible
Cover pools to prevent evaporation: An average uncovered pool loses about an inch of water a week because of evaporation

AVERAGE DAILY USE

Be aware of how much water you use! Awareness is the first step in conservation. The average person uses 225 litres of water per day on the following activities:

Toilet - 85 litres (19gallons) per day
Bathing & hygiene - 67 litres (15 gallons) per day
Laundry - 36 litres (8 gallons) per day
Kitchen - 32 litres (7 gallons) per day
Housekeeping - 4.5 litres (1 gallon) per day

TOTAL 225 litres (50 gallons)

WATER SAVINGS

The amount of savings you can achieve depends on current water consumption habits, water, sewer and energy costs, current flow rates of fixtures and flush volumes of toilets, system pressure, and the amount of water leakage through fittings and toilets.