Did you know that leaving a tap running will waste 10 litres of water every minute? When you are washing dishes, doing laundry, having a shower or hosing the garden there are ways to save water. Conserving water or using it economically makes sense but you will have to change some bad household habits to cut costs.
Wasted Shower Water
Imagine how many gallons of water you waste when waiting for a shower to heat up. You could collect that water in a container for use in the garden. Every minute that a shower runs produces roughly 2.1 gallons of water. It is good practice to cut shower time down as much as possible. A 4 minute shower is entirely achievable and will save gallons of water.
You can also swap out your showerhead for a water efficient attachment. Although you may have to pay upwards of $100 for a product that works, typical savings can reach $200 or more each year. If you have it within your budget to pay the initial cost, the savings are worth the investment.
Leaks in the Lavatory
Consider having your plumbing system checked at least every two years by a professional plumber. In the meantime, you can perform home maintenance checks by watching for leaks in your toilet, showers and any other plumbing outlet. It may not seem like much water is being wasted but a single dripping faucet can lose 3,000 gallons of water per year.
If you find leaks in your toilet or shower, consult with a plumber right away. Ignoring the problem is risking a minor issue becoming a major catastrophe. Unless you want an upstairs toilet to relocate to the living room, followed by a tsunami of waste water, have leaks repaired to save water and avoid a plumbing disaster.
Rainwater Tank
Have you thought about installing a rainwater tank on your property? This is a great way to collect usable water. You can utilize rainwater for irrigation systems, watering the garden, toilets and washing machines. This water is only suitable for drinking when you invest in a system that protect against things like pathogens, organisms, and lead contamination.
It is also important to hire a plumber who has experience with rainwater systems. The manufacturer will provide outlets as standard, so discuss suitable systems with your plumber before you commit to a purchase. New outlets and inlets can be created but they will come at an extra cost for the plumber’s labour.
Cold Water Waste
One of the main ways that water is wilfully wasted is when homeowners and family members run hot water faucets. It takes time for the water to heat up and that results in unnecessary waste. Make sure that water is collected for alternative use in the garden.
Water your plants with the cold water that usually goes down the drain. Over the span of a year you will see significant savings on utility bills. When the water does heat up, get into the habit of monitoring how much time you allow the faucet to run and try to reduce your use to save gallons of water.
Water Plants with Greywater
Installing a greywater system can save somewhere in the region 40,000L of water per year. You can use the water in the garden for feeding plants or cleaning walkways. The water in a greywater system comes from the bath, sink, shower or washing machine. It is so named because the water is not suitable for drinking but does not cause faecal contamination.
For more water saving tips or if you need building inspections for water saving installations, call Houspect in the Northern Territory.
