These simple tips are a great way to rethink how we use this precious resource.
Brush up – If you brush your teeth for two minutes, you can save up to 12 litres of water by turning the tap off while you polish your pearlies.
Go with low flow – A displacement device in your toilet cistern reduces the volume of each flush. Depending on your household, you may also want to consider the motto, ‘if it’s yellow, let it mellow’.
Temperature check – Adding cold to cool down scalding hot water wastes both energy and water. Set your hot water thermostat to the recommended 60°C. (Your electrician or plumber may need to help with this.)
Get fully loaded – By always washing full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine you’ll reduce the number of washes you need to do. This also reduces appliance wear-and- tear.
Delete the drip – If you have a tap that drips at 50ml per minute (about an eggcup), as much as 72 litres could be going down the drain every day. Fixing a dripping tap is often as easy as fitting a new washer – for how-tos, check YouTube or DIY websites.
Shorten showers – Showers can use up to 45 litres a minute! Auckland Council advises keeping showers to four minutes (the length of a song). Consider an efficient showerhead, or talk to your plumber about fitting a flow restrictor. (Depending on your shower, a plumber may need to install it).
Be savvy with scraps – In-sink waste disposal units use loads of water, and burden sewerage systems. Rather than sending food scraps down the drain – think composting, Bokashi or worm farming.
Butts about it – By fitting a water butt (outdoor tank) to your roof’s drainpipe, you can harvest rainwater to water your garden or wash your car. Depending on where you live, a water butt can supply you with as much as 5,000 litres a year.
Adopt a can-do attitude – If your garden is small, using a watering can, rather than a hose or irrigation system, can save hundreds of litres.
Stay constantly chilled – When you keep a jug of tap water in your fridge, you can avoid the need to run the tap and wait for the water to run cold before filling your glass.
ECOSTORE, 1 Scotland Street, Freemans Bay, T: 09 360 8477, www.ecostore.co.nz
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