From 19th to 25th October the Australian Water Association’ celebrates its National Water Week! Held each year during the third week of October, National Water Week hopes to inspire individuals, communities, and organisations to build awareness around the value of water.
This year’s national Water Week theme ‘Caring for Water and Country’ celebrates the vital and cultural role that water plays in our lives. Recognising the importance our waterways play in our lives, Caring for Water and Country aims to deepen our understanding of Australian First Nations people’s knowledge of protecting and sustaining our water and lands for over 65,000 year.
During the week Australians are asked to think about how best to conserve water and reimagine our water future and what different actions we can take to protect one of our most precious natural resources.
Conserving water is something we should all be keeping top on mind when at home, out in the garden, or buying new white goods. To help you watch your own water consumption, we’ve put together our top 10 ways to save water around the home.
- Check for any leaking toilets and taps. The water from a leaking tap can add up quickly, in fact a tap dripping 45 times per minute wastes around 2,000 litres a month! If you notice a tap leaking around your home, make sure to get it fixed straight away. Make sure to also check your toilet’s cistern isn’t leaking by watching for water flowing after you flush.
- Update your toilet. Toilets are big uses of water with older models using up to 12 litres of water per flush! In comparison more modern dual-flush toilets use only three litres on a half-flush.
- Use mulch in your garden. Did you know that using mulch helps to noy only reduce weeds, but it also helps to retain water in your garden’s soil? Some gardeners estimate that mulching your garden bed can reduce the amount you have to water by as much as two-thirds.
- Reuse your household water. Use a bucket to collect running water while you’re waiting for hot water, when you’re in the shower, and after you’ve rinsed dirty dishes. This water can then be used to water your plants and garden.
- Reconsider your choice in plants. Consider opting for native plants when you’re designing your garden or balcony. Native plants are better accustomed to our climate and can flourish on very little water.
- Check your tap’s WELS rating. The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme was introduced in 2005 by the Australian Government to help homeowners choose more water efficient taps, showers, and toilets. Taps that have been WELS rated will display a label with two key pieces of information: a star rating out of six indicating water efficiency, and litres per minute water flow (for showers and taps). It’s estimated that on average every 1L/min difference can save a household nearly 2,000 litres (2kL) of water per year! So make sure to check your taps’ ratings and aim for the highest star rating.
- Make sure machines are fully loaded. Before you run your dishwasher or washing machine, make sure they’re fully loaded to make the most out of the washing cycle.
- Keep the old fishbowl water. If you have a fish tank, make to use the ‘old’ nitrogen and phosphorous-rich water on your garden – your plants will love it!
- Use a pool cover. Keeping your pool covered prevents evaporation and can save 30,000L of water a year! Throw it on throughout winter and try and use it during Summer when you’re heading away on holidays or know you want be using the pool.
- Invest in a water tank. If you have space in your backyard, water tanks are a great way to collect rainwater than can be used throughout your home and garden – plus you’ll save on your water bill!
If you have any questions or our team can assist you further give our Brisbane plumbing team a call on 0413 599 754