Given population growth, constant development, and global warming, it’s no surprise that water conservation is becoming more and more crucial every day. Australian households use an average of 340 litres of water each day – up to 800 litres in dry, landlocked areas. About 35% of that goes to irrigation for gardens and around 20% gets flushed down the toilet, and the rest goes to other activities like bathing, laundry, and washing dishes.
Saving water isn’t just a matter of conserving a finite natural resource. It’s also about lessening the impact on the environment, since treating water, so it’s safe for households to use, and wastewater treatments affect the environment in a negative way.
Aside from the obvious, like calling a local plumber Kogarah expert when you have a burst pipe, how can you save water at home?
Turn the Tap Off When Not in Use
This is something that everyone in your household can do, since it’s easy to remember. Whether you’re brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, or shaving, just turning the water when you’re not actively using the tap can save up to a litre. Don’t keep the water running when washing your hands, either. Turn off the tap while soaping your hands, and then turn it back on to rinse. That’s another litre saved.
Lessen Laundry Time and Take Shorter Showers
This is two tips in one because they use the same concept; the less time the water runs, the less you use. Long showers can use almost 60 litres, so if you take shorter showers or wash your hair less frequently, you’ll save water. In a similar vein, setting your washing machine to use the shortest cycle uses less water, especially when you use cold water instead of warm.
Upgrade Your Toilet
Regular toilets can use up to 26 litres of water per flush – and that’s a lot when you think about it. A high-efficiency toilet, though, uses as little as 5 litres per flush, so when you need to replace your toilets, look for the high-efficiency models.
Check Taps for Leaks
A leaking tap can drip away more than 700 litres in a month, so fixing it sooner rather than later can do a lot for your water conservation efforts.
Dedicate about an hour – or even less – one afternoon to figuring out if you have any leaky taps and where they are. Once you have this information, you can set about repairing them, whether you do the job yourself or have a plumber take care of it. You can find reliable local plumbing companies in Kogarah here.
Upgrade Appliances So They’re More Efficient
You don’t have to go out right after reading this article to do this; wait until you need to replace your dishwasher or washing machine. When you do so, consider getting a model that’s either energy-efficient or water-efficient. Just remember: when using your dishwasher, run it only when there’s a full load, skip the pre-rinse, and use the shortest cycle setting to save even more water.