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automatic dish washers
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cooking
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sink
 | Plug the sink when rinsing or peeling fruits/vegetables. Partially fill the sink, instead of running the taps the whole time. Reuse this collected water on house plants or outdoor potted plants, and save yourself some money. Keep a container/s near the sink to catch any water run through your taps while waiting for the right temperature water, and use this collected water on plants around the house. |
| Keep a jug of water in the fridge, so you can have cold water whenever you want it and don't have to watch your money go down the drain while you run taps waiting for the water to cool. Buy or designate one special cup for each member of the household to drink water from each day. This will cut down on the water you use in the kitchen as it should reduce the number of times you wash and the quantities you have to wash, also saving you time. |  |
| Dispose of oil, etc. by putting it in a sealed container and throwing it away with the garbage, instead of running taps to wash it down the drain. Not only does this save wasting water and money, it's also much better for the health of our rivers. | |
WaterWise in the Bathroom
bath
 | Don't overfill your bath - save water (and money) by only filling up as much as necessary. Share your bath water. Bathe your younger children together. Older children/adults can take turns in the bath, where a little extra hot water is still less than a shower or a new bath for each person. |
basin
| Turn the tap off while you are brushing your teeth. Have a glass at the sink for the purpose of rinsing after brushing. For a family of 4, this can save hundreds of litres of water per week! |  |
 | Turn the tap off while shaving. Rinse your razor in a plugged basin instead of under a running tap. |
shower
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toilet
 | Install a dual flush 6/3 litre or 4/3.5 litre toilet suite. This is an easy way to save water (and money). Without changing your flush frequency, you can reduce the amount of water used in your toilet by up to 70%. If you can't retrofit a new toilet system in your bathroom, try filling a couple of plastic one litre fruit or soft drink bottles with water (or sand), close the lid and then carefully place them in the cistern compartment, but be careful not to place them where they might interfere with the working parts of the cistern. Only flush as much as you need to, so dispose of wrappers and tissues in the bin. |
leaks
Check for leaks! This is a very common problem and can waste thousands of litres of water every year. It also wastes your dollars!
To check for leaks, put some food colouring in the cistern and, without flushing, watch to see if the colour appears in the bowl after about 15 minutes. If it does, you need to have the cistern repaired ASAP, to save yourself water and money.
Maybe you could think about updating to a 4.5/3 litre dual flush system instead of repairing your old leaking system?
WaterWise in the Laundry
washing machines
 | Washing machines are the biggest users of water in the home, some up to 245 L of water per wash.
If you are looking to purchase a new washing machine, choose a front loading model.
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Taps & Fittings
Regularly check and fix leaking taps and fixtures, both indoors and outdoors (including pipes and hoses). This is a simple and inexpensive method (washers cost approximately 80 cents), and can save you wasting up to 530 litres of water per week (and the money that you are charged for this wasted water).
Encourage everyone in the family (especially children) to turn taps off all the way.
- A continual drip from a tap can waste anywhere from 30 - 200 litres of water per day. Wasted water which you pay for.
install aerating taps.
- These are inexpensive and can reduce water flow by 50%, without impacting on the quality of the flow.
- This means that you can use your taps in exactly the same way, but be saving 50% of what you used to pay whenever you turned your taps on.
insulate pipes
By insulating your hot water pipes, you can avoid wasting water while you run taps waiting for the hot water to flow through. This will also save you money on your power bill.
master valve
Make sure you know where your master shut-off valve is located. If a pipe bursts, this could save you thousands of litres of water and damage to your home.
leak test
To test for hidden leaks,
- Note the reading on your water meter one night before going to bed, ensuring that all water inside and outside is shut off.
- Before any water is used the next morning, note the water meter reading again.
- If the two readings are not the same, then you need to find the hidden leak ASAP to reduce the amount of water (and money) being wasted.
Evaporative Air Conditioners
 | Evaporative airconditioners consume water in two ways; the evaporation of water from the pads which cools the air, and the dumping/bleeding-off of water to reduce the mineral concentration in the sump. Evaporative airconditioners can use upwards of 75L/hr in the summer months and can account for up to 30% of the total yearly water consumption per household. |
For more information, including comparison with refrigerated airconditioners, operation and maintenance, water reduction and health issues download Councils guide to minimising water usage through your evaporative air conditioner.
Water Saving Rebates
Council operates a WaterWise rebate incentive scheme to encourge the installation of water saving devices in established homes.
