 Australia is the world's driest continent after Antarctica, yet we use more water per person than almost any other nation. As a result, most of our major towns and cities are facing a severe water shortage. But most of us can probably halve our water consumption with little difficulty, while installing a rainwater tank will provide thousands of litres of free additional water.
water facts
Australians uses 282 litres of fresh water per person per day.
- The average person in a developing country uses 10 litres of water a day, equal to one flush of a non-dual flush toilet.
- Homes and gardens account for 12 per cent of water used in Australia.
- Only about 1 per cent of Earth's water is drinkable fresh water, 97 per cent of it in underground aquifers.
- In 2004, 16 per cent of households reused or recycled some of their water.
Australian households: water use (home/garden)
- Garden 47%
- Shower 16%
- Washing machine 13%
- Toilet 10%
- Taps/dishwasher 10%
- Swimming Pool 2%
- Leaks 2%
water: key steps
- Take shorter showers (not baths) and fit a water efficient showerhead. They cost from about $20.
- Install a rainwater tank. Use rainwater falling on your roof for your toilets, washing machine and garden.
- Toilets. If your toilet isn't dual-flush, reduce the water it uses by putting a bottle of water in the cistern so it holds less water. You can also buy cheap "cistern converters" that do the same thing. Don't use a brick; it may crumble and block your system. Best of all, install a composting toilet.
- Dishes. If you wash dishes by hand, use the plug and don't wash or rinse with running water. If you use a dishwasher, scrape plates first instead of rinsing them and only run full loads. Buy a water-efficient dishwasher. These use as little as 9 litres per load, while older models can use 90 litres.
- Washing machine. only run full loads. When replacing it, buy a water-efficient front-loader. Don't wash clothes that aren't really dirty. Hanging them for an hour on a clothes line instead will air out stale smells.
- Taps. Fit aerating taps. They cost just a few dollars and will halve water flow. Turn off taps while cleaning your teeth and put the plug in when washing your hands.
- Fix drips and leaks. A single dripping tap can waste 12,000 litres a year.
Want to do more?
- Get a cover for your pool - a pool can lose 30,000 litres of water a year through evaporation.
- Don't flush the toilet every time you pee.
- Wash your car with a bucket and sponge, not a hose.
Divert greywater into your garden
If you use natural, phosphate-free soaps and detergents, then you can reuse much of the water from your home on your garden. You can fit greywater recycling systems but all you really need is a bucket. For health reasons you should always use greywater immediately, don't use it on food or seedlings and don't allow it to pool on your lawn.
- Dishwasher/washing machine: let the outflow hose drain into a bucket for the final rinse then empty it into the garden, or connect a hose to the outflow and let it drain into the garden, or (get a plumber to) fit a simple greywater diverting device.
- Bathroom: use a bucket to collect water from the shower or bath, or a small bucket to catch the initial cold water in washbasins, then empty it into your garden. You can also pour it into the toilet bowl to flush your toilet.
- Kitchen: wash vegetables and dishes in a bowl then empty the water into your garden.
© Mark Mann / EcoDirectory
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