Home › Saving water in... › Home
Smaller fontStandard fontLarger font

Saving water in the home

Imagine living in a house without running water or modern washing appliances... For some this might be utopian paradise but for most it would be a nightmare. Running water is an incredibly valuable resource with an almost endless list of applications and uses in and around the home.

Savingwaterinthehome
Kitchen
The kitchen is a major consumer of water in the home, using around 10% of total household water consumption for cooking, cleaning, washing or drinking.
Laundry
Of all water consumed in the home, about 15 - 20% is used in the laundry. This high utility room is a major consumer of not only water, but also energy and detergents.
Bathroom
The bathroom and toilet use nearly 40% of all water in the home. The shower is a water hotspot, but you can easily save water by installing a water efficient showerhead.
Fixing leaks
A slowly leaking tap can waste 20,000L a year. Fix it now!
Pools and Spas
You can still cool down in the swimming pool and spa during the warmer weather - just follow a few simple tips to top up water levels and prevent evaporation...
Garage & Driveway
We tend to be very lavish water consumers when it comes to washing cars, boats and truck. Find out how to clean the car and save water!
Greywater
Greywater is the water discharged from showers, washing machines and dishwashers. Find out how to re-use greywater in the garden, or even set it up to flush the toilet.
Rainwater
Collecting rainwater can help us reduce the need to use precious drinking water on our gardens and in laundries and toilets.
Video Tutorials
How to make your home more water efficient - instruction videos to help you on your way

As government, industry and community attitudes towards environmental issues continue to grow, water conservation is a critical factor in reducing our overall water consumption.

Did you know?...

  • On average, a person uses about 200 litres of water per day, of which 5-10 litres is for basic survival, ie drinking and food preparation.
  • The other 190 litres is discretionary and is used for washing (showers, dishes, clothes, toilets) and the garden.
  • Some communities have been successful in reducing average personal tap water usage to as low as 130 litres per day.
  • Approximately half the water supplied to urban areas in Australia ends up as waste water, according to a report by the Institute for Sustainable Futures prepared for the Water Services Association in 1998.
Together we can all do our bit to help reduce water consumption. Installing water saving products can make a difference and despite the initial cost, they are an investment: in the long term, you will be saving money and helping the environment. There's plenty of water saving ideas and initiatives to inspire you on the savewater website.