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Water Saving Tips

In
times gone by, most of us didn't give a second
thought to how much water we used in the home
but with recent water shortages, plus
substantial increases to the costs of water, it
is a good time to think about how we can all cut
back on our usage. This article will look at
water saving tips all of us can implement around
the home and garden.
If you can afford
it, a rainwater tank can be a great investment.
They come in all shapes and sizes depending on
the size of your property. Some water
authorities will give you a rebate for having a
tank installed.
Inside the home:
Bathroom:
-
Install water
saving shower heads, these use considerably
less water than regular shower heads. Most
water authorities will be able to provide
you with information on these devices. Your
local hardware shop should also have them in
stock.
-
Don't leave
the tap running when you are brushing your
teeth.
-
Have shorter
showers.
-
If you use a
bath, recycle the bath water (known as grey
water) in your garden. Avoid using grey
water on fruit & vegetables you plan to eat.
-
Bathe young
children together.
-
Fit a water
saving device to the toilet cistern.
-
Use the half
flush as often as possible.
-
Take a shower
instead of a bath.
Kitchen & laundry:
-
Use a water
jug, fill with cold water & place in the
fridge. That way, you won't have to run the
tap, wasting water every time you want a
cool drink.
-
When washing
dishes by hand, scrape off as much residue
as you can, fill the sink & then wash
dishes. Don't leave the tap running. Start
with the cleanest first (ie; glasses).
-
Wait for a
full load of laundry before starting the
washing machine. Same with the dishwasher.
-
Only fill the
kettle with the amount of water you want to
use.
-
Don't use
running water to defrost food, place it in
the fridge overnight instead.
-
Rinse fruit &
vegetables in a pan or container. Re-use
water on houseplants.
Misc:
-
Quickly repair
leaky taps. A leaky tap can waste up to 90
litres of water a week.
-
Replace taps
with water efficient ones.
-
When cleaning
out fish tanks, use the dirty water on the
garden.
-
When replacing
household appliances such as dishwashers &
washing machines, look for water efficient
ones. Most now come with a star rating for
both efficiency & water consumption.
In the garden:
-
Don't use the hose to wash
down hard surfaces. Sweep instead.
-
Use a bucket
of soapy water to clean outdoor furniture
instead of the hose.
-
Water your
garden early morning or late afternoon to
avoid evaporation.
-
Use mulch on
garden beds to also assist in retaining
water.
-
Buy drought
tolerant plants to help cut back on
watering.
-
Wash your car
on the lawn.
-
Raise the
blades on your mower, or mow slightly less
often. Longer grass requires less watering.
-
Check the
weather forecast before you water your
garden to see if there is a chance of rain
in the near future.
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