Three ‘Smart’ ways to save water in the home.
Despite water being our most valuable resource, Australians are known to have the worst track record in the world in terms of individual water usage, equating to nearly 340 litres per person per day compared to the world average of 185 litres. In addition to this, each individual consumes a further 150 liters of water in the workplace by commerce and industry as well as in the community through the watering of parks and sports fields, and fighting fires. While we have very little control over how other people consume water, we can control what we do in our own homes.
Water efficient shower heads & shower timers
It is estimated that as much as 30% of all the water used in an Australian home can be traced back to the shower. Where a normal shower head can use as much as 36 litres of water a minute, depending on the model, a head that is designed to save water uses as little as 6 litres in the same amount of time. We think 9 Litres a minute is the sweet spot between having a decent shower and saving water.
There is a large variety of water-saving shower heads on the market ranging between rain shower models that offer a pleasant showering experience while using substantially less water, aerated heads that inject air directly into the stream of water to give the impression of a much higher water flow, and a variety of smart shower attachments. These smart shower systems of which the Waterhawk and Moen U are just two examples, can help you save substantial amounts of water by allowing you to control everything from the temperature of the water to the length of your shower via apps on your smart phone.
Smart irrigation controls
Household irrigation can result in a lot of water wastage if executed irresponsibly. While drip irrigation systems are known to use a lot less water than overhead systems, you can reduce your gardening water usage even further by investing in a smart system that will ensure that your system is only active when absolutely needed. For example, if there is rain being forecast, your garden will not be watered while the same system will ensure that your lawn stays green throughout a drought. Smart irrigation systems such as the GreenIQ Smart Garden and the Rain Bird ST8I will fill you in on weather alerts, automatically updating your watering schedule to eliminate any water wastage saving you a significant amount of money.
Solar pool covers
A pool can use an immense amount of water, especially during the Australian summer when large amounts of evaporation take place, necessitating you to fill up the pool at regular intervals. While an increasing number of home owners opt to fill their pool via a rainwater collection system, it isn’t always a viable solution especially in the more arid regions of the country. Another water-saving option is to install a solar pool cover which can effectively reduce evaporation by as much as 95%. Apart from reducing the amount of water needed to fill a pool, a solar pool cover will also help keep your pool clean while increasing the water temperature at the same time.
Water is by far our most valuable resource and should be preserved at all costs. By following some simple water saving guidelines, like those above, or the water savingtips at Sustainability Victoria, we can minimise wastage. Ensuring everyone does their bit will not only help protect our environment and our precious water supply, but save a money as well.
By freelance writer Allie Taylor.
