Saving Water in the Home

Everyday we use a lot of water inside our homes. For Goulburn Valley Water’s customers it represents approximately 50% of our total domestic water use.  By reducing our daily water use, even by a small amount we can save a lot of water. 

Here’s a quick look at conservation indoors, where approximately half of typical household’s water is used. The bathroom consumes most (this includes the toilet, shower and bath); next comes washing machines and dishwashers. For example, you can cut the water you use while showering by more than 50%. You won’t just save water, you’ll also save the energy it takes to heat it!

We can save water by a water efficient appliance or plumbing fitting. Water is automatically saved whenever they are used. Look for the 'Star' ratings on many water-using appliances and plumbing fittings. We can also save water by changing our habits, like taking shorter showers.

Water conservation our responsibility all year round

Toilet

• A water efficient dual-flush toilet uses only 6 litres or less per flush. An older style toilet uses 11-12 litres per flush. Replace a single flush toilet with a dual flush toilet

• Use the half flush button when flushing the toilet.

• If you don’t have a half flush button place a brick or a container filled with water in the cistern, this reduces the amount of water used each time you flush

• A silent leak in a toilet can waste 225 litres or more a day. Check toilets for silent leaks by placing a few drops of food colouring in the tank. Wait 15 minutes. If the colour appears in the bowl, you have a leak and should have it repaired.

Bathroom

• A water efficient low-flush shower head delivers 9 litres to 15 litres a minute (90-150 litres for a 10 minute shower). A standard shower head can deliver up to 25 litres a minute when fully open (that’s 250 litres for 10 minute shower).

• Take a shorter shower, a shower only needs to be long enough to soap up, wash and rinse off.

• Use a bucket in the shower to catch the water while you wait for it to heat up, use this on the garden.

• Empty your dirty bathwater onto the garden using buckets.

• Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth or shaving and save 5 litres of water each time.

Laundry

• Washing machines can use between 90 to 200 litres of water per load!  Be sure to choose carefully the one that suits you best and match the load setting on the washing machine with the amount of laundry to be washed.

• When hand-washing, wash clothes in a bucket and when finished use the water on the garden.

• Install a grey water reuse system (available from hardware stores) but do it with care and always wash your hands afterwards.  For more information on grey water please click here.

Kitchen

• Fill the dishwasher so you have a full load before using it.

• Instead of rinsing your dishes use the ‘rinse and hold’ function on your dishwasher.

• Put the plug in the sink before rinsing vegetables instead of using a running tap.

• Use only as much water as you need in the kettle.

Taps 

• A leaking tap can be waste a lot of water.  Check regularly for worn tap washers

• Water is wasted each time cold water is flushed from the hot water system.  Keep a container near the sink and shower and catch the water and use it to water your pot plants.

General Maintenance

• When buying a new appliance look for a water efficiency rating of 3 star for more information visit Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme.

• Undected leaks can be extremely wasteful and costly.  A way to check for leaks is to read your water meter late at night and early the next morning to see if water was running while everyone was asleep.  For more information on checking for leaks please click here.

View a video tutorial

• Installing a water flow controller   Large (broadband)     Small (dial up)

• Changing a tap washer               Large (broadband)     Small (dial up)

• Replacing a showerhead              Large (broadband)     Small (dial up)

• Checking your water meter          Large (broadband)     Small (dial up)

Disclaimer: Under plumbing regulations in Victoria and NSW, owner-occupiers may install 3-star water saving showerheads in their homes without using a licensed plumber. The above videos have been prepared to assist you with doing so. Although care has been taken to ensure that these videos generally reflect how a licensed plumber may go about changing a showerhead, neither Goulburn Valley Water nor savewater!® Alliance Inc. accept any responsibility if you take any action based on the contents of these videos. If you do rely on these videos, you do so at your own risk, and you may not make any claim against Goulburn Valley Water or savewater!® Alliance Inc. for any loss or damage you or anybody else suffers as a result.

For more information on saving water the following brochure is available in Adobe PDF format.
If you do not have the Acrobat Reader please click on the button below to obtain your free copy.

Water Conservation in the Home

For more great ways to save water visit savewater.com.au or awa.asn.au.