Plumbing Melbourne Blog

H2-Pro Recent Blog Posts

How you waste water in your home

2020-09-15T00:55:11+00:00 October 19th, 2017|Plumbing|

A global study conducted a couple of years ago by international water experts Hoekstra and Chapagain found that Australian households held the worst record for water consumption.

Each Australian used 341,000 litres of water each year – that’s equivalent to about 8 backyard swimming pools!

Given these numbers, can you imagine how much of that figure is wasted every year?

Whether we are aware of it or not, there are a lot of ways we waste water in our homes. But on a brighter note, there are also a lot of ways we can save water in our homes, too!

Breaking the water-wasting habits early is key to avoiding major plumbing issues or unexpected water bills – and helps protect our precious planet.

 

Don’t leave the water running

If we conducted a survey to find out if people leave the water running every single time they brush their teeth, shave or wash the dishes, we’re pretty sure we would get quite a few sheepish “yesses”.

Leaving the water running whenever we do something is one of the most common causes of water wastage. But guess what? It’s also one of the simplest habits we can kick.

Perhaps it’s time we become more water conscious when performing monotonous daily tasks like brushing our teeth. conscious.  

To save water while doing these tasks, simply turn the tap off as soon you start brushing, shaving or washing the dishes. Simple, right? It’s just a matter of developing the habit and sticking to it! It’s one of the easiest and impactful changes you can make – immediately.

 

Take shorter showers

In the average Australian household, the shower is typically the biggest water user.

It’s often hard to fathom how many litres of water your shower uses a day, especially if you live in a multi-person dwelling with family or friends.

Short and sweet

You can start with keeping your showers short and sweet!  We know that nothing is more refreshing and cooling than the continuous cascade of water… but don’t forget about the amount of water you are using and your rising water bill.

Get a timer or push play on your favourite song, and get out of the shower when time’s up! By training yourself to wash, shave, clean your hair, etc. in a controlled amount of time, you’ll surprise yourself by how efficient showering can become.

Have you considered upgrading your showerhead?

The Australian Government’s Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme uses water efficiency ratings that help you save you money and help the environment.

These ratings are given to appliances in terms of their water efficiency and, if applicable, their energy efficiency. They are easily visible when they are placed on the front of all types of appliances, from washing machines and dishwashers to refrigerators and toilets.

When it comes to showers, the WELS scheme recommends choosing a showerhead with a minimum three-star rating. These use as little as 6 or 7 litres of water  per minute, compared to a standard showerhead that can use up to as much as 25 litres of water per minute!

Installing a water-efficient showerhead in your bathroom could potentially save your household an astonishing 14,500 litres of water each year!

If you need help choosing and installing a water-efficient shower fixture (or any other plumbing appliances, for that matter), reach out to an H2-Pro expert today!

 

Put that hose down…

We all try to keep our cars looking clean, but car washing at home, when done inefficiently, is nothing more than a real water-waster!

For those who opt to wash their cars at home, the garden hose is the go-to tool. Makes sense, I suppose…  but a hose uses so much water!

Why don’t you try putting that hose down and getting a bucket and sponge instead?

We’re not saying you should give up the hose all together. Maybe instead of using it in the whole time you are washing your car, save it for the final rinse only.

You should also, wherever possible, wash your car over grass and not your concrete driveway. There are two major reasons for this:

  1. Toxic water makes its way directly into the stormwater drain where it then enters water supplies and can wreak havoc on our ecosystem
  2. Kill two birds with one stone: clean your car and water the grass! Water can be neutralised by dirt instead of heading straight for the drains

 

H2-Pro Plumbing: Your water-saving plumber in Doncaster

We sometimes waste water performing the simplest tasks without even realising it.

While this may seem disheartening, remember that making even minor changes to our habits can make a big difference to the environment and your bills in the long run!

But you don’t have to do it alone. If you need help selecting and installing water-saving plumbing fixtures in your home in Bulleen or the surrounding suburbs, our plumbers in Doncaster can help.

Call us today on (03) 9844 1444 or fill in this contact form and we’ll be in touch. It’s never too late to start making a change. The planet – and your wallet – will thank you!

Locals 10% Discount