Ways To Reduce Water Waste
In the face of increasing inflation, homeowners are searching for ways to reduce water waste to minimise their monthly water bills. As such, this article highlights easy ways to considerably lower water waste at home.
We showcase DIY approaches that eliminate wasted water and recommend expert solutions to mitigate domestic water wastage. Read on to discover myriad ways of optimising water use and reducing water wastage at home.
Fix Leaks
Over time, even the tiniest leaks can cause considerable water wastage. As such, locating and fixing leaks in your home is one of the easiest ways to reduce water waste and this invaluable resource.
You start by eliminating leaks affecting frequently used water fixtures such as kitchen faucets, shower heads, and outdoor taps. You should also seek out leak-borne water wastage on pipe connections and joints that arise due to wear or physical stresses within walls and floors.
Shorten Showers
A typical 10-minute shower using a standard shower head consumes 15-20 litres of water, which translates to 5475 – 7300 litres annually. You end up paying between AUS$ 10.53 and 13.44 per year for showers alone for every member of your household.
Luckily, you can reduce water waste by up to 40% by shortening shower time to 5-6 min. Doing so would save you between AUS$ 4.21- 5.38 per person. More importantly, you and your household would be integral in securing Australia’s water future.
Reduce Water Waste By Running Full Loads
Most domestic washing machines use 50 – 90 litres of water, regardless of whether you place a full load of dirty clothes. If you use your washing machine three or four times a week, you use between 7800 – 18,720 litres annually, i.e., AUS$30 – 71.136 annually.
As such, waiting until you have a full load of dirty clothes before you do your laundry is preferable. Doing so ensures you achieve notable water savings by reducing laundry times to once a week. This water-saving approach also works with dishwashers.
Install Water-Efficient Fixtures
In addition to the DIY approaches presented above, we will explore an array of water-efficient fixtures you can install to reduce water wastage considerably. While you can install most of these water-saving fixtures yourself, when it comes to hot water heaters it is advisable to consult a professional to ensure optimal performance.
Low-Flow Shower Head
Unlike a traditional shower head, which can dispense 9 litres per minute, a water-saving low-flow model typically has a maximum flow rate of 5.5 litres per minute. Thus, replacing an old showerhead model with a new low-flow version lets you use up to 40% of the water for showers.
Water-Saving Toilets
High-efficiency toilets(HET), Dual Flush Toilets(DFT), and Low Flow Toilets(LFT) are the three main types of water-saving toilets. A HET utilises high pressure and less water for flushing; a DFT avails two flushing options depending on a toilet’s use, while an LFT uses a prolonged flush at low flow.
Water-Saving Faucets
A water-saving faucet features a gasket at its opening that aerates the water that follows out of it. This aeration reduces water flow from the typical 8 litres to less than 5 litres per minute. Installing such a faucet reduces water use in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room by up to 38%.
Water-efficient dishwashers and Washing Machine
Replacing your top-loader with a front-loader washing machine lets you save up to 50% of the water used for laundry. For example, an 8 kg top-loader typically uses 112 litres of water in a cycle compared to 56 litres for a front-loader of the same capacity.
You can also replace your standard dishwasher with a water-efficient model to save up to 70%. Compared to older models which consume 17-23 litres of water, some newer dishwasher models use as little as 7 litres.
How To Reduce Water Waste Key Take Away
This article is not exhaustive on the various ways of reducing water waste at home. Other DIY approaches not mentioned above include covering pools and using a car wash service. Similarly, additional devices that optimise water use by minimising wastage include pressure-reducing valves, tankless water heaters, hydroponics, rainwater harvesting, and greywater recycling.
As an accredited plumbing company, we provide expert consultation and professional installation services to minimise residential water wastage. You can contact us for a free consultation and affordable plumbing services 24/7.
Russell is a qualified Master Plumber, having been in the industry since 2004. He started his own company in 2013, and today, is a reputable company operating in metropolitan Adelaide. We are truly your local plumber!
We specialise in all aspects of plumbing services including 24 hour emergency response, blocked drains, drain camera inspections, pipe relining, gas fitting, hot water service & replacement, rain water tanks and all other home maintenance plumbing services. We aim to exceed your expectations in everyway and deliver the level of service that has made our business what it is today.
