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Article The Best Ways To Save Water Around Your Home

October 30, 2020

25 Comments

Australians are being encouraged to reimagine their water future and save water as part of the Australian Water Association’s annual initiative to inspire people to do their part in conserving this precious natural resource.

“As one of the driest populated continents on earth, Australia’s freshwater resources are under pressure to meet the demands of a changing climate and growing population,” says Corinne Cheeseman, CEO of Australian Water Association.

“It’s up to every Australian to do their bit to ensure water is being used sustainably and efficiently in and around the home. Making simple changes and taking easy steps will help reduce water consumption, decrease water bills, and protect our precious water resources,” adds Corinne.

Easy Ways To Save Water

“On average, around 40% of household water is used outdoors, so it is important to reuse and recycle this commodity as much as possible. There are two ways to better manage water usage, the first is to use recycled water, which is either taken from rain tanks or has been cleaned with chemicals at a treatment plant and then provided back to homeowners via taps identified by their lilac or light purple colour, in accordance with Australian standards.  The second, is the use of Grey Water, this waste water is taken directly from showers, bathroom sinks or washing machines in the home to use in gardens and lawns,” says Alyce Rigby, Nylex Product Manager.

Use Grey Water

Reducing freshwater usage to save water around the home not only saves vital community water supplies, it can also decrease household water bills. Purpose made hoses can be connected to washing machines and other outlet pipes to redirect Grey Water to your lawn as well as garden beds and veggie patches. Before using Grey Water in your garden, check what type of washing liquid or powder you use, as some chemicals will be harmful to plants.

“To start utilising Grey Water, use a Grey Water hose and fitting to connect to your water source and then divert it to your outdoor area. The Nylex Grey Water Dispersion Hose 22mm x 2.5m (RRP $11.40) is designed to prevent pooling by evenly dispersing Grey Water along its length, which minimises the risk of harmful bacteria forming,” says Alyce.

Water smarter, not harder

Be smart with how you set up and water your garden. Planting water-intensive plants on higher ground and plants that don’t need as much water on lower ground means you can water from the top and simply let it flow down to the less water-intensive plants below.

“To reduce water usage in your lawn, garden bed, ferneries or vegetable patches, use the Nylex Recycled Soaker Hose (RRP starting at $13.80) available in different lengths (7.5/15/30m). It has fine holes on one side, which when faced upwards, create a fine spray pattern in a multi-directional stream in an even ‘strip’ style watering pattern. When faced down, the hose deep waters plants close to their roots, keeping plants hydrated without unnecessary over-spray and evaporation. An average tap of 200kPa sprays about three to four metres across,” adds Alyce.

Use water-efficient sprinklers

It’s important to make sure your sprinklers and irrigation systems are water efficient to ensure you’re not over-watering your garden and wasting water.

“An easy way to be water-efficient is by using the Nylex 3 Arm Sprinkler (RRP $16.50), which is suitable for small to medium lawns and gardens. The adjustable arms and rotating sprinkler head create even water distribution and work well for slightly windy conditions. It has a 200kPa low pressure operation and is sturdy with its weighted base, so it’s built to last. Alternatively, the Nylex Recycled Dome Sprinkler (RRP $17.90) is great for smaller areas,” continues Alyce.

Save time

An easy way to save time while conserving water is by using a tap timer. Once set to a specific length of time, it can be left unattended and will automatically turn off, so you can get on with your day without accidentally overwatering your lawn.

“The Nylex Recycled 2 Hour Mechanical Tap Timer (RRP $22.90) works just like an egg timer. Twist the dial to the desired watering duration up to 120 minutes and the timer will turn itself off. The mechanical operation requires no batteries and makes this one of the easiest and quickest timers to use,” says Alyce.

To help homeowners do their bit at home, Nylex has launched new products into its range of lilac recycled water hoses, sprinklers and timers which are ergonomically designed and UV treated to survive the Australian outdoors. While the range’s lilac colour helps homeowners identify them for use with recycled water, they are also suitable for use with mains water if required. Additionally, the brand offers a number of products that can be used with Grey Water.

What are your top tips to save water around the home? Tell us in the comments below.

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Comments

  • I have started over the last few months, having a bucket in the laundry to collect any excess water from washing hands etc and then i use this to put on the garden. I have also at times used some of the water left over from my daughters bath to put on the garden. Every little bit of reuse is worth it. It is the small things that count.

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  • I am actually very frugal with water. I refuse to water the lawn. Dont see the point

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  • couldnt upload picture

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  • Native Shrubs require less water & drought tolerant plants will save water also…Use washing machine water, piped out under house (if possible) to lawns/garden…I use tap timer, just in case I wander off & forget hose is on. Showers & now baths now, and water in cool of evening.. Joan Hodgetts

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  • Our garden is watered using rainwater from our tanks. To utilise the rain we have installed 3 water tanks which keep us supplied with garden water for a fair while. The water from our washing machine flows out onto the grass out the back so the only grass that needs watering is in the front yard. That doesn’t get watered very often but it’s still green. Have to look out for the hoses recommended next time I go to town.

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  • I love that we’ve moved to an area where they use recycled water. I’ve really noticed it on our water bills. I think we’re pretty good with all of the above as it’s been our way of life for a while now.

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  • It all adds up. When that bill comes in, you don’t want a shock. Good advice

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  • We are currently doing most of these things, but your list is a good reminder to step up to the plate more and save even more if possible.

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  • We use soaker hoses directly on to the plants.
    We pulled up our grass and put in decking
    When the kids have a bath we use that water on the plants also
    Kids know how long to wash their hands for
    And toilet is flushed after every 2nd wee

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  • Conserving water has always been a big part of our lives, more so now that we have moved to hotter climates …. we use tank water sparingly for the garden and car; tap water is kept to the bare minimum with short showers, a once weekly clothes/linen wash, etc.

    • We conserve water too and show great care with usage. Climate does factor into water usage.

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  • I’m trying to be careful with water. My husband was filling up the pool and forgot to stop the water and it was on for 16 hours ????‍♀️???? Now he has to have shorter showers to make it up.

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  • We have always been incredibly careful with the use of water as it is such a precious resource. We have short showers and watch all of our water consumption.

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  • Nice easy ways.

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  • Instead of having sprinkler, water plants with hose

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  • Easy care and drought tolerant plants are definitely the way to go in the future and having less grass to water.

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  • We have only tank water so water saving tips are our priority

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  • With summer so close, it’s important to start thinking about saving water.

    • It’s quite hard with a family of six, with 2 teenagers who like to shower frequently. And our bath is massive….it takes a huge amount of water to fill it a little. We rent so can’t change the bath

      • You could only half fill your bath. Don’t let your teens shower more then once. Its not that hard to conserve water if you commit

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  • It does sound interesting to use grey water. We’re not watering the garden yet, we really try to keep that for hot summer days and only do it in the early mornings.

    • I was taught that you shouldn’t water your plants too often, it can actually weaken your plants. Overly saturated soil can make it harder for plant roots to absorb water, because they do not have the oxygen they need for absorption. Excess water near a plant’s root collar can also cause diseases, such as root rot.

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  • Just using nozzle sprays helps and watering in the morning before it’s too hot so your plants benefit from the water and less evaporation.

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  • Often it’s just a matter of making an effort for a week or two, and then a new water saving habit is embedded in your life.

    Reply
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