We live on the world’s driest inhabited continent, yet Australians pour millions of litres of water down the drain every day — a whopping 350 litres per person, on average. And with the population rising and climate change resulting in less rain and higher temperatures, the need for Aussie households to reduce their water consumption is more pressing than ever. Thankfully, a few minor changes can mean major savings for the future of our water supply as well as your utility bills. So take a moment to see how you can reduce the litres lost at your place.

How to save water

Bathroom

$ Make sure your water isn’t too hot. Using cold water to cool hot is a waste of water and energy — lower your hot-water setting instead.
$$ Switch to a water-smart showerhead. You’ll save up to 19 litres a minutes, compared with about 20 litres a minute on older taps.
$$$ Upgrade your taps. New three-star bathroom taps use nine litres a minute, compared with about 20 litres a minute on older taps.

This water-saver won’t cost you a cent: Turn the tap off while you brush your teeth. Half fill a glass of water to rinse, rather than doing it under a running tap.

Kitchen

$ Install water-saving tap heads. These are screwed onto taps and reduce tap flow to about nine litres a minutes. From $12 each.
$$ Replace your taps. Regular kitchen taps can release 15 to 18 litres of water a minutes, but low-flow and aerating models can use as little as two litres per minute.
$$$ Upgrade your dishwasher. Older models can use more than twice as much water as new models.

These water-savers won’t cost you a cent:

Be mindful when washing fruit and vegetables. A quick rinse under running water is fine, but for items that require more washing (such as spinach and lettuce), half-fill the sink and do it in there. And wash cleaner items (like tomatoes) first.

Never use running water to wash dishes. Don’t use it to defrost frozen food, either.

Fix drips promptly. A dripping tap can waste up to 2000 litres of water a month.

Only run your dishwasher on the eco-cycle. And wait until it’s full before turning it on.

Toilet

$ Install a toilet water saver. This simple device costs from $10 and can save a family of four about 30,000 litres a year.
$$ Fix toilet leaks. A leaking loo wastes about 16,000 litres of water a year.
$$$ Upgrade to a new cistern. Older single-flush toilets use up to 12 litres of water in every flush, while new four-star-rated dual-flush systems only use 4.5 litres for a full flush and three for a half.

This water saver won’t cost you a cent:

Ditch the full flush. If you already have a dual-flush toilet, use the half-flush option every time.

Laundry

$ (-$$$) Redirect your laundry rinse water. Install a grey-water filtering system or hose it directly onto your garden.
$$ Update your taps. Fit taps with flow regulators or water-saving tap heads.
$$$ Replace your washing machine. Front-loaders use 63 per cent less water than top loaders, saving you a huge 105 litres a cycle.

Garden

$ Buy Australian native plants. They’re much better at surviving our harsh conditions.
$$ buy a low-flow hose trigger. It will cut flow from about 30 to 40 litres a minute to about 7.5 litres.
$$ Install seep-hoses set on timers. Your garden can “water itself” during the early morning.
$$$ Install a rainwater tank. Water your garden with rainwater or recycled grey water.

These water-savers won’t cost you a cent:

Regularly aerate your lawn with a pitchfork or spiked aerating shoes. This helps water absorption.

Never use a hose instead of a broom. Sweep your dirty deck or paved area, don’t hose it down.

Mulch your garden beds. This reduces evaporation.

For more great ideas and practical solutions for your home see www.reallivingmag.com.au/