How to be more sustainable with your home water use 

Climate change is upon us and fast changing the world as we know it today. In fact, most of the impacts felt by climate change all boil down to water. The rising sea level, melting ice glaciers, wildfires and ocean warming, it’s all essentially a water story.

Ageing water infrastructure is failing globally, water shortages are increasing, and further pressure being placed on our groundwater supplies and water systems. Clean water has never been in more demand as it is today.

Change does not just have to happen, change needs to happen now.

Almost 71% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, yet only 3% is fresh water, with most tied up in ice and glaciers. As a collective we must look to address climate change in a more sustainable manner to help preserve our water future for future generations.

Conserving water isn’t hard – It’s all about the little things.

Read on for some practical tips on how you can do the little things to help save more water in your home.

Take shorter showers

You’ve likely heard this many times, but in most households, showers are considered the third largest water wasting offender. An older style shower head can use up to around 20 litres of water per minute with the average Australian showering for approximately 7 minutes. That is around 140 litres of water wasted per session and over 50,000 litres a year.

To be more viable, it’s best to explore installing a water efficient showerhead which uses around 10 litres of water per minute and look at reducing your shower time. We recommend keeping your shower times under 3 minutes as – Every minute counts.

Check your toilet for leaks

On average your toilet accounts for almost 30% of water consumption per day with everything running smoothly. Leaks commonly occur due to wear and tear of the rubber parts inside the system, reducing their functionality.  

With a leak present, your toilet can lose anywhere from 100 litres (slow leak) to over 1000 litres a day (large leak). Now that is bound to put a strain on both the environment and your pocket. So, if you suspect a leak, it’s best to get your local plumbing professional over to resolve the issue and reduce those excess costs.

Turn the tap off when you’re not using it.

It sounds so simple, but still so many of us leave the tap running while brushing our teeth, washing our hands, shaving, or cleaning dishes. Keeping the tap running wastes an extra 5 litres of water per session. So, reduce your water use by turning taps when you’re not actively using them.

Fill up your dishwasher

Are you someone that runs the dishwasher only half full?

You do know you are still using up a full load’s worth of water, right?

Dishwashers have become a lot more efficient over the years and can even use less water than hand washing at times. But only when full – So it’s best to wait until you have a full load before use.

Get a bucket for your shower

While waiting for the shower to heat up before getting in, don’t let the water go to waste. Re-use it by catching the water in a bucket and using it to water your plants, wash the car or even clean the floor. Although it may seem small, it is acts like this done collectively that can go a long way to reducing the water stress on the environment.

Fix plumbing leaks

We have already mentioned how common toilet leaks occur, but they can also surface around other parts of the house. Whether it’s a dripping tap, leaky shower or burst pipe it’s all wasting precious water and adding more money to your water bill.

If you suspect you may have a plumbing leak in your home, check here for more information on how to check for water leaks in your home or call us at No Probs Plumbing on 9315 5545.

Water your plants in the morning or evening.

With the planet warming and the strain climate change is placing on our water resources, we want to ensure your plants maximise their water consumption. We advise watering your plants and lawn during the evening when it’s cooler and receives less impact from the sun. Warmer air typically holds more moisture than cool air which is why evaporation is intensified during the day. Watering during the day means your plants will require more water, more often.

It’s also good to check your sprinkler system, both for leaks and efficiency. You want to be sure your sprinkler system is watering your lawn and not the driveway or footpath.

Save your rainwater for a hot, dry day.

With clean water in higher demand the cost will continue to rise as water becomes scarcer. During the wetter months when water use softens, it’s a great time to contemplate buying or building your own water catchment system or rainwater tank. 

The department of Water and Environmental Regulation measured that a 100m2 roof (half a standard house) can collect around 50,000 litres of water a year, when fully plumbed into a building for internal and external use. This could supply up to 20% of your home’s water needs. Considering Australian houses are on average 186m2 that’s a significant amount of money and water you could be saving.

In summary, just do the best you can.

As Australians we live in one of the driest continents in the world and have only a few clean water sources. Unfortunately, the numbers prove we are also one of the biggest water users and wasters around the globe. To evoke change we need to construct some sustainable development goals to help slow the rate of climate change and reduce water stress.

By carrying out these handy tips – you will help considerably reduce your water use, keep money in your pocket and go a long way to preserving our water future.  

For any more help with water leaks in your home or how to make your home more sustainable, contact us at No Probs Plumbing on 9315 5545.