The Smart Water Use campaign is funded by the Thames-Coromandel District Council and Hauraki District Council, and assisted by AQUAS Consultants of Tauranga. Water is a precious resource and we can all do our part to conserve it:
HOLIDAY HABITS:
With summer weather and the holiday population, we really need to watch our water use. Here are some simple ways to do it …
- Remind visitors and guests that water supplies are limited.
- Promote shorter showers and shallower baths.
- To save water, post this note over the toilet: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down.”
- Use a bucket when washing boats, trailers, jet skis, kayaks, etc. (A running hose can waste as much as 10 litres of water a minute.)
- If you have to water the garden, do it in the early morning or evening and just every few days.
AT HOME / IN THE HOUSE:
Typical water use at home is about 25% in the bathroom, 25% in the kitchen/and laundry, 30% for toilet flushing, and 20% outdoors – so there are water-saving opportunities everywhere!
Quick Tips
- Fill the sink to wash vegetables and rinse dishes
- Do full loads in the clothes washer and dishwater
- Promote shorter showers and shallower baths
- Don’t run the water when brushing your teeth
- If the toilet leaks or a tap drips, fix it right away
For cool drinking water, fill a jug and keep it in the fridge. Running water to cool it down can waste 10 litres a minute.
If you really want to conserve …When running the water to get it hot, collect it in a container, let it sit, then use it to water indoor plants or the garden.
Fix leaky taps and toilets right away – a small, regular drip can waste hundreds of litres of water a week.
Kitchen
Put water in the sink to wash fruits and veggies or for rinsing dishes. Running the tap for this can use 10 litres of water a minute.
Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator (or leave out on the counter). If it needs to be done quickly, use a microwave. Avoid running it under hot water.
Use only as much water as you need to cover vegetables when boiling them. Reuse the boiled water in soups and casseroles (this also adds extra nutrients).
Do full loads in the dishwasher – this saves water and power.
Bathroom
Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth or shaving. Leaving the tap trickling with water wastes about five litres a minute.
Make sure your bathtub drain plug doesn’t leak. Replace it if necessary.
Install of a low-flow showerhead can save the average household 1,000 litres of water per week – and save energy costs, too.
To encourage water conservation, put this note over the toilet: “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down”.
Using the half-flush on the toilet when appropriate will save about 5,000 litres of water per person each year.
To check for a leaky toilet, put a little food colouring in the cistern. Look at it in about 15 minutes and if the colouring appears in the bowl without flushing, you’ve got a leak! Get it repaired immediately. Little leaks add up to big losses over time.
To reduce water use in old, single-flush toilets, put a plastic bottle filled with water or a small brick or rock (in a plastic bag so it doesn’t chip off or disintegrate) in the tank. This will displace water and mean less flushes each time.
Time your shower - it may be longer than you think. Twenty-five percent of water use at home is for showers and baths, so there can be big water savings here. Bribe your teenagers to shower less!
Laundry
When washing clothes, run full loads or be sure to set controls for a partial load if you are doing less.
OUTDOORS
Quick Tips
If you water the garden, do it in the evening or in the early morning to reduce evaporation
- Use a broom instead of the hose to clean paths and driveways
- Use a bucket to wash the car. Rinse with the hose before and afteR
- Check taps, pipes, and connections regularly for possible leaks
Use a broom to sweep sidewalks and paved areas. Using a hose for this can waste as much as 1,000 litres of water per hour. Add what you sweep up to a compost heap.
A swimming pool cover can cut evaporation by as much as 90%, reducing the need for top-ups in the dry summer season.
GARDENING
Pull weeds regularly – they compete with your plants for water!
Check your garden hose regularly for leaks. Store it on a reel to prevent kinking and damage.
Use a trigger nozzle on your hose to reduce water loss. Repair or replace the nozzle if it leaks. It should shut off completely when you let go of the trigger.
For smart water use … Plant native or drought-tolerant trees, shrubs, ground covers, and grasses. Get advice from your garden centre about the best types.
For a water-wise garden …
- Favour native plantings and those requiring less water.
- Group any plants that need more watering together – for easy watering.
- For open areas, go for ground cover rather than lawn.
- Set windbreaks to protect delicate plants and reduce water needs.
- If you are planting a lawn, use drought-resistant varieties such as Fescues and Bluegrass.
- Rely on your local garden centre for good advice.
When buying potting soil, look for bags that include water-storage crystals in the mix. This will help cut down on the need for watering.
Garden - Watering
Tips for efficient garden watering:
- Water sparingly – every four or five days – to encourage roots to grow deeper. Aim for a total of about 25 mm of water per week.
- Water in the early morning or evening to reduce evaporation.
- Water on calm days so it hits the target!
- Keep the water to lawn and garden areas. Don’t water paths and driveways!
- Check soil moisture after rains and only water when necessary. Plants benefit most from a thorough watering when the soil has dried out.
Lawns
When planting a new lawn choose drought tolerant grasses, such as Fescues or Bluegrass. Don’t apply too much fertilise as this only increase the need for water.
Mow your lawn as little as possible. When you do, don’t cut it too short. Four to five cm is a good length. This length will help the grass grow longer roots, keep sun off the soil, and help reduce weed growth and retain moisture.
Don’t worry about the lawn drying out over the summer. Grass goes dormant during periods of drought but rejuvenates naturally with cooler and wetter weather.
Lawn watering tips
• If you water in the summer, aim for no more than 25 mm a week.
• Water no more than twice a week, and only when needed.
Apply the ‘step test’ – if grass springs back after you walk on it, it doesn’t need watering.