WATER WISE TIPS FOR THE HOME

• Collect Rainwater For Use Whenever and Wherever Possible
  A 100 square metre roof area can catch up to 100 litres of fresh clean rain water for every millimeter of rain that falls on it. That mean 10mm of rain is 1 000 litres of water saved with a rainwater tank!
• Divert Grey Water From Baths, Showers, Basins and Laundry To Lawns and Garden Beds
  A grey water diverter or treatment system can save every litre of water used for bathing, showering etc and put it to use for your lawn or garden. That can add up to a massive savings over time.
• Use your water meter to check for hidden water leaks
  Read the house water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter does not read exactly the same, there is a leak.
• Check your toilets for leaks
  Put a little food coloring in your toilet tank. If, without flushing, the color begins to appear in the bowl within 30 minutes, you have a leak that should be repaired immediately. Most replacement parts are inexpensive and easy to install.
• Don't use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket
  Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, 18 to 26 litres of water is wasted.
• Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank
  To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster. This may save 35 or more litres of water per day. Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly.
  For new installations, consider buying "low flush" toilets, which use 4 to 8 litres per flush instead of the usual 10 to 18 litres.
• Replacing an 18 litre per flush toilet with an ultra-low volume (ULV) 6 litre flush model represents a 70% savings in water flushed and will cut indoor water use by about 30%.
• Insulate your water pipes.
  It's easy and inexpensive to insulate your water pipes with pre-slit foam pipe insulation. You'll get hot water faster plus avoid wasting water while it heats up.
• Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators
  Inexpensive water-saving low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy for the homeowner to install. Also, long, hot showers can use 20 to 40 litres every unneeded minute. Limit your showers to the time it takes to soap up, wash down and rinse off. "Low-flow" means it uses less than 10 litres per minute.
  Also, all household faucets should be fit with aerators. This single best home water conservation method is also the cheapest!
• Take shorter showers.
  One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 75 to 150 litres of water.
• Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush
  There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.
• Rinse your razor in the sink
  Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water. li>Check faucets and pipes for leaks
  A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of litres.
• Use your dishwasher and clothes washer for only full loads
  Automatic dishwashers and clothes washers should be fully loaded for optimum water conservation. Most makers of dishwashing soap recommend not pre-rinsing dishes which is a big water savings.
  With clothes washers, avoid the permanent press cycle, which uses an added 20 litres for the extra rinse. For partial loads, adjust water levels to match the size of the load. Replace old clothes washers. New Energy Star rated washers use 35 - 50% less water and 50% less energy per load. If you're in the market for a new clothes washer, consider buying a water-saving frontload washer.
• Minimize use of kitchen sink garbage disposal units
  In-sink 'garburators' require lots of water to operate properly, and also add considerably to the volume of solids in a septic tank which can lead to maintenance problems. Start a compost pile as an alternate method of disposing food waste.
• When washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing
  If your have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water. If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or a panful of hot water. If using a dishwasher, there is usually no need to pre-rinse the dishes.
• Don't let the tap run while you clean vegetables
  Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water. Use a dual-setting aerator.
• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge.
  Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful.
• Water conservation comes naturally when everyone in the family is aware of its importance, and parents take the time to teach children some of the simple water-saving methods around the home which can make a big difference.