Water Saving Tips

I’ve talked energy saving tips on the blog a few times now, so I thought it was about time I talked water saving tips as well! Most of my childhood took place during the big drought in Victoria so I have strong memories of seeing the dam levels reported on the news each night and only being able to water the garden on certain days, and between certain hours. Even though the drought has now officially broken in Victoria it still makes excellent sense to save water as much as possible, both to help the planet and to save money!

water saving tips

General Water Saving Tips

  • Check for leaking taps, one leaking tap can waste up to 20,000 litres a month! If the leakage seeps into the wall, it will require a plumber (check out The CleanUP Guys) to come in to preform leakage removal. Any kind of leakage may cause mold growth and you will need mold remediation services.
  • Install water-efficient taps or retrofit low-flow aerators to existing taps
  • Insulate your hot water pipes wherever possible to avoid wasting water while you wait for it to warm up
  • Keep a bottle of water in the fridge so it’s always nice and chilled for drinking, rather than having to run the tap until the water chills down
  • While waiting for water from the tap to warm up (or cool down!), catch the water in a bucket and use it to water plants, rinse veggies or anything else you might need!
  • If you’ve got room, install a rainwater tank at home and use it to water your garden, wash your car or if you can get it hooked up to your bathroom, to flush your toilet

Bathroom Water Saving Tips

  • Pop a timer in your shower to help restrict yourself to 4-minute showers
  • Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth
  • For guys that shave with a manual razor, fill the sink with a few centimetres of warm water and rinse off the razor in it, rather than rinsing under running water
  • Pop a bucket in the shower to catch water and then use the water on the garden or to wash your car

Laundry Water Saving Tips

  • Use your washing machine only when you have a full cycle, or if you can, reduce the water levels to match the load level
  • When you’re in the market to buy a new washing machine, choose the highest star rated machine you can afford, it will save you money in the long run (both in water and electricity bills!)

Kitchen Water Saving Tips

  • Only use your dishwasher when you have a full load, and use the economy setting if your machine has one.
  • Don’t pre-rinse your dishes before loading the dishwasher, it really shouldn’t be necessary
  • When washing by hand don’t leave the tap running. Instead, if you have a double sink fill one side with warm, soapy water and the other with clean water for rinsing. If you just have a single sink (like me!), fill the sink with warm, soapy water to wash the dishes and then rinse off with hot water afterwards
  • Don’t overdo it with the dishwashing liquid as this will just result in additional water needed to rinse the dishes, all you need is a small squeeze!

Outdoor Water Saving Tips

  • Plant natives which require much less water than introduced species, and will also be less susceptible to disease
  • Mulch around the base of your plants to hold in moisture which will reduce how often you need to water your garden
  • Water early in the morning, or late in the evening, to ensure the water is able to soak into the soil rather than evaporate in the sun
  • Wash your car using a bucket of water rather than a hose, and if possible park the car on your lawn so the water doesn’t go to waste
  • Sweep your pathways and driveway rather than cleaning them with a hose
  • If you’re lucky enough to have a pool then invest in a pool cover which will reduce evaporation of your pool water, avoiding the need to top it up too often. This also helps to keep the water clean, reducing the amount of chemicals you’ll need to use

One more thing you should keep in mind is proper plumbing, as some water can be wasted due to some leakages and so on. Visit Marines Plumbing website to learn how Marines Plumbing is a better plumbing experience all around.

There we have it! My water saving tips for inside & outside your home! I’d love to hear any of your tips as well, just leave them in the comments!

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3 Comments on Water Saving Tips

  1. Nicole- Champagne and Chips
    March 7, 2015 at 5:09 pm (9 years ago)

    I am the worst for having long showers and I have this terrible habit (from childhood) of leaving the tap running while I brush my teeth. Since I started paying for my own water though I have become much much better 🙂
    Nicole- Champagne and Chips recently posted…Super Satisfaction Ice Cream Sundae

    Reply
    • I Spy Plum Pie (admin)
      March 13, 2015 at 8:18 pm (9 years ago)

      It’s amazing what bill shock does to us isn’t it!

      Reply
  2. Happy Hiller
    January 18, 2021 at 2:10 am (3 years ago)

    Water is essential for life, and we human as a responsible species on Earth, should understand the importance of clean water and efficiently sustain water to ensure a sufficient supply for our future generations.

    Reply

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