Save water indoors

• Take a shorter shower and turn off the water while lathering up. Each minute can save up to 9 litres of water (20L with an old showerhead).
• Install a water saving showerhead and save up to 45 litres a day. Save up to $100 with Council’s shower and tap rebate.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving. This can save 5 litres of water.
• Take a bucket to the shower to catch wasted water. Use it in the garden (don’t use on edible plants such as vegetables and fruit trees).
• Check your soaps and detergents won’t harm garden plants (look for greywater friendly products).
• Tip used bathwater onto the garden or use it to wash your car.

Save water when brushing your teeth and washing your hands

Save water when in the shower

Save water by changing your showerhead

• Don't flush pee, and try a half flush for poo – save 10 litres per day.
• Using the half flush saves 1.5 litres compared to a full flush.
• Older toilets use around 12 litres per flush. Put a water-filled plastic bottle or a brick in your cistern to reduce the amount of water used.
• A leaking toilet can waste up to 100 litres a day. To check if your toilet is leaking put some food dye in the cistern, wait 15 minutes (don’t flush) and check if the water in the bowl is coloured. If it is, you have a leak. 

• For a family, do 3 loads less of washing a week by making sure loads are full – save 240 litres (80 litres a load).
• Use the most water efficient cycle on your washing machine.
• Look for a water-efficient 4-star rating when buying a new washing machine. Front load machines use less water than top load.
• Only use your washing machine with a full load (or change the water level to suit the size of load).
• If you use your rinse water on the garden, don’t use it on edible plants such as vegetables and fruit trees.

Save water at laundry time

• Only use the dishwasher when you have a full load and pre-rinse dishes to save 45 litres every 5 minutes. A dishwasher cycle can use up to 20 litres of water.
• When washing dishes by hand use a bowl in the sink, then use the water in your garden.
• Avoid peeling vegetables or rinsing dishes under running water.
• Store drinking water in the fridge instead of running tap water to cool it down.