Want to lower your water bills and help the environment?
Water efficiency is a huge topic. It’s about saving money (always a good thing) and making choices that positively impact our environment. However…
Most homeowners waste thousands of gallons of water each year, and they don’t even realise it.
The average home leaks around 10,000 gallons of water every year.
That’s enough water to do more than 300 loads of laundry!Here’s what you will learn:
- Why water efficiency is so important
- The top water wasters in your home
- Quick fixes that save thousands of gallons of water
- Professional upgrades that are worth the investment
Water Efficiency: It’s More Important Than Ever
I have something to tell you…
You might be using far more water than you need to.
Outdoor water use accounts for more than 30% of total household use. In some areas, it’s more than 60%.
Consider this:
Running the tap while brushing your teeth or shaving wastes 8 and 10 gallons of water every minute. Imagine all the wasted gallons that add up to nearly 5,700 gallons a year!
…but here’s the good news…
Partnering with trusted plumbing solutions in Adelaide and implementing a few water-saving strategies can help you reduce your consumption dramatically. Professional plumbing for your home can help identify home inefficiencies that you might never have known were a problem and provide expert solutions that can pay for themselves in just a few months.
Find and Fix Hidden Leaks
Quick Question:
What’s the easiest way to throw money down the drain?
Don’t look in the wrong places. Leaks can be easily missed, and a poorly maintained automatic irrigation system can waste up to 25,000 gallons of water per year.
So, what’s the solution?
- Check your toilets. Put some food colouring in the tank and don’t flush for 10 minutes. If the colour shows up in the bowl, there’s a leak.
- Inspect your taps. One dripping tap can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year.
- Monitor your water meter. Turn off all the water in your home and go outside to check the meter. If it’s still moving, there’s a leak.
Household leaks across the country waste about 900 billion gallons of water per year. This is equal to the annual water consumption of nearly 11 million homes!
Upgrade Your Fixtures (They’ll Pay for Themselves!)
Don’t believe me?
Water-efficient fixtures don’t just save water; they can improve your experience.
- Showerheads. Installing new showerheads can save your family more than 2,700 gallons of water per year. Plus, you can save around $70 in annual water and electricity costs.
- Toilets. High-efficiency toilets use much less water per flush but do not compromise on performance. Old toilets use 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush, while modern toilets use about 1.28 gallons.
- Tap aerators. These devices are nearly free and can cut tap water use by up to 30%. They take 30 seconds to install; no plumber required.
Give your main bathroom a high-efficiency makeover with a WaterSense labelled toilet, showerhead, and tap aerator. It can pay for itself in as little as one year.
Smarter Outdoor Water Use
I am going to show you where most water waste actually occurs…
In your garden and lawn.
Watering your average-sized lawn for 20 minutes every day for a week is the same as running your shower non-stop for 4 full days.
At least 50% of outdoor water is lost to wind, evaporation, and runoff from inefficient irrigation.
- Upgrade your irrigation controller. Replace an older, clock-based irrigation controller with a WaterSense labelled smart controller. This can cut your irrigation water use by up to 30%. That’s up to 15,000 gallons per year saved.
- Water at the right time. The best time to water is early morning. Watering in the early morning allows for less evaporation and better absorption by plants. Avoid watering during windy days and the heat of the day.
- Use mulch around plants. Mulch will reduce evaporation and keep the soil moist for longer, so you’ll need to water less often.
- Check your sprinkler system. Broken or misaligned sprinkler heads waste thousands of gallons of water. Perform a monthly inspection to catch problems early.
Simple Daily Habits that Make a Difference
Ready for the easiest water-saving strategies?
They require no equipment or professional help. Simple changes to your daily routine will save thousands of gallons of water.
- Run full loads only. Whether it’s the dishwasher or the washing machine, only run full loads. Doing this can save the average family nearly 320 gallons a year.
- Turn off the tap. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth, washing the dishes, or soaping up in the shower. This will save thousands of gallons per year.
- Reuse water when you can. Save water while waiting for the shower to warm up. Use it to water your plants or fill pet bowls.
- Keep water in the fridge. Don’t run the tap until the water is cold; keep your drinking water in the fridge.
Making it All Work Together
Here’s something many homeowners miss…
You cannot have a water efficiency strategy without taking multiple approaches to it. Fix one leak, and you still have more to find. You need a comprehensive plan that looks at indoor and outdoor water use.
Water-use efficiency increased by 19.3% globally from 2015 to 2021, but an estimated 58% of countries still have a low water-use efficiency level. There is room for huge savings.
The best way to start is with the low-hanging fruit – simple strategies such as fixing leaks, installing tap aerators, and optimising your irrigation timing. Then, consider moving on to more significant upgrades such as new fixtures and a smart irrigation controller.
Professional assistance is a great option. A certified plumber will quickly notice issues that you would never have known to look for and can recommend solutions that are specific to your home.
Wrapping This Up
Water efficiency is not complicated.
The best approach is to make smart choices, fix problems quickly, and use technology to your advantage. The benefits of these steps are easy to see. Water efficiency will help you save hundreds of dollars per month in utility bills, reduce your environmental impact, add value to your home, and give you peace of mind that you are not wasting resources.
Start with a leak check today. Walk around your property, check your fixtures, and take a look at your water meter. These few simple steps will save you thousands of gallons of water and hundreds of dollars each year.
Every drop counts. With the average family losing 180 gallons of water per week from household leaks alone, even small efforts can make a big difference.