Tips & Tricks

Don't shower every day. If you're not dirty or smelly just give the bits that matter a bit of a splash with water & a face washer.

When we are ready to wash up we put a 2lt jug under the hot water tap to catch the water until it’s hot enough for washing up. We then pour the water into our kettle for making tea or coffee.

I run a bath for my son, and when he is done, I use the same water to wash the dog!

I tend to use the same taps every time. Eg. the bathroom sink, I always use the cold tap.
However because I’ve been caught a couple of times after I’ve had visitors, Its part of my routine to check the taps are turned off before I go to bed before I turn out the lights.

kids water bottles, at the end of the school day pour remaining water on your gardens

I keep a bucket in the shower to collect the cold water before it warms up and also any drips as I have my shower. I then use it as required to flush the toilet.

For top loader machines- last rinse cycle (as water is cleaner) can be used to wash the car, flush the toilet, water the lawn.

When I boil a jug of water for a cup of tea, I make sure the jug is full and put the remaining boiling water in a thermos so I don’t have to boil another jug later

How much water do we waste in the shower when lathering, shaving, washing our hair and whilst doing this we lean out of the water then lean back in to rinse. All that clean water going down the drain! What if there was a way to easily turn the water off when it's not needed in the shower. There is a device called the 'Every Drop Shower Saver' that is a chrome paddle like device that retro-fits to your existing shower head [no plumber needed] which makes turning off the water easily just with the flick of your finger. I've been using mine for over 10 years after it was a winner on The New Inventors.

Hi
What we have found rewarding is to collect the cold water from all accessible taps which runs before the hot water arrives and use it to fill kettle or water plants, its appx 1.5lts each time.
Also keep track of your usage by monitoring the water meter, its a good reminder, we are currently at 250-300 perday, a work in progress.
Use tank water for garden use or even drinking when filtered.
Dont flush toilet during the night if only used it urine.
Cheers Richard

I keep a plastic tub in my kitchen sink to catch waste water from things such as rinsing a cup, washing hands, washing vegetables and use this to water my plants. We turn taps on and off numerous times a day for small things so catch the waste water to use in the garden makes sense.

I use a fish tank vacuum siphon connected to a garden hose out the bathroom window to empty our corner spabath onto the garden. Quick, easy, no fuss.

Open the cistern of your water toilet and insert a bottle filled up with water. Each time you flush, the amount in that bottle will stay there, so you'll save up to one litre of water each time you flush depending on your size. I know that there is the half flush option now, but I also know that especially in houses with smaller kids, that doesn't really make a difference because they don't get it yet.

we put fresh water in our kettle each morning. the "old" water either goes in the pond or waters our pot plants.

We have a bucket under the heater for our spa to collect the condensation, we use this to water the garden.

We have a little bathroom rhyme for the loo. If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down. You can save a lot of water by not flushing as often.

We are in a rented house with dodgy guttering along the back porch, so purchased one of Bunnings large yellow bins which is positioned for catching the rainwater that cascades from the roof. In addition we also have several buckets we put out during rainfall which fill readily and also collect our shower water. We garden mostly in pots so every bit counts.

I keep my empty plastic milk cartons , when I am running the hot tap to do the dishes I fill the milk cartons with the cold water to water my plants

When preparing meals and need to keep rinsing hands, fill a small container (empty ice-cream container, etc.) with water to use for rinsing finger/hands.

We have 3 buckets permanently in our 3 shower recesses. Each time the buckets are full our 3 kids grab one and -

1- fill up the Chickens Water
2- fill up the Birds water
3- fill up the Dogs water
4- water the indoor/ outdoor plants
5- water the fruit trees

We also use them to wash the cars

When I use my condenser dryer, instead of letting it drain out, I collect the water in its container, saving precious water to use on the garden.

Attach a wheely bin to your down pipe. So condensation during the night will drip into the bin.
If it looks like it’s going to rain disconnect the bin.

Usually we tip the water from our condenser dryer straight down the sink, I was thinking it’s such a waste so we have started watering our house plants with it. I also do the same with the coffee machine waste water, it makes and excellent fertiliser and my kids love getting to water the plants.

Cold water from the shower’s first flow is added to the watering can for the children to use on our vegetable seedlings. Really helps the whole family to save water.

I have a large number of succulent pot plants on my balcony and I can keep enough water up to them by not letting any water run down my kitchen sink. All water including small amounts go out to the balcony pot plants and they are surviving so well friends ask me for tips on how to keep them so good when they face west.

Wash your vegetables in a container and not under running water.

We've taken to keeping a jug next to the kitchen sink for "water reuse." Half full cups, bottles or water from vegetables are tipped in then used to fill a watering can for the garden. Made me really aware of how much we just chucked down the sink. Now, I put less in my glass rather than waste it. Easy and simple.

After having a bath, I do not empty the tub. I use a bucket to use the water to flush the toilet. Since I only flush a few times a day, the bath water lasts for many days.

I keep the water from boiling veggies and other things and use it to water pot plants inside and outside.

We have an out door shower which my husband uses after a surf. He stands in a bucket & catches virtually all the water. We use this water to wash the dog, wash the car, water plants etc.

When using high pressure hose, hook it up to the tank instead of town water.

I have a bucket under my shower head collecting the cold water before the hot water kicks in, I then put that water in my washing machine.

Got a freshwater fish tank? That water can be used on your garden when cleaning!

Use water collected from dehumidifier to water the garden instead of pouring down the drain.

Maintaining your gutters

How to replace a showerhead

How to change a tap washer

When you clean your fish tank, use the ‘old’ nitrogen and phosphorous-rich water on your plants.

Bucket used bathwater onto the garden or use it to wash your car.

Choose plants that suit the conditions where you live and require minimal water. This plant finder might be helpful.

It is better to water at dawn than during the heat of the day when evaporation will waste much applied water.

Install water efficient tapware or retrofit old tapware with aerators or flow control valves.

Pre-treat stains before loading into your washing machine.

A dripping tap can waste up to 12,000 litres a year! Leaking taps can usually be fixed with a new washer.

Don't leave taps running. A running tap uses about 10 litres of water per minute.