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Use Water Efficiently

Use water efficiently Water conservation on the driest continent on the planet is essential, logical and too long in coming. So get with the program and save water…

Fresh water is embedded in most of the things we consume, from the meat we eat (41,500 litres to produce a kilo of beef) to the aluminium we carry our drinks in (20 litres for a single can). Hence, while the water we use in the home may seem trivial (only 7% of all water used in Australia), its conservation is a step toward increasing our knowledge and respect for this precious life giving resource.

Do it now!

Five easy actions will save litres of clean fresh water being used and flushed away

Install a water efficient showerhead - Modern Water efficient showerheads feel great, are not expensive and can save a household around 1,000 litres of water a week or approx $ 50 per annum.

Install low-flow faucets - Reduce the amount of water coming out of your tap. It is that simple.

Dual flush toilets - Installing a dual flush toilet will allow you to use the appropriate amount of water to clear the toilet bowl. Another approach is to learn the mantra "if it's yellow let it mellow, if it's brown flush it down".

Use the water twice - Connect up a hose to your washing machine so you can pump the water out to your garden.

Invest in a front loading clothes washing machine with AAA water rating. - They are much more efficient with water and energy. Plus they are gentler on your clothes.

Why this action

is

important

Fresh water is the life blood of nature. The subordination of water to human use comes at the health of those natural systems that support humans in other ways (cleaning our air, moderating our environment, or providing us with food). So we need to nourish and share this vital gift. The consequences of doing otherwise can be seen in the spreading deserts across the world, and the drought and famine that soon follow.

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Environmental benefit

Almost every river and wetland system in Australia is under stress from human withdrawal of water. River red gums, fish breeding stocks and the esturary systems at the end of these rivers are dying. The human need for water is continuing to expand in the face of this silent death of our rivers. This action moves us toward being as efficient with our water use as nature is. A tall order indeed.

Wellbeing benefits

Clean fresh water from the tap is, for most people in the world, a luxury. As the Australian water supply is stretched, recycled and sterilised at the expense of stagnate rivers, we expose ourselves to toxic algae, chemically treated water and an increased vulnerability to severe drought.