Following are a series of hints and strategies around reducing water demand for your family based around the 5 household consumption areas - the garden, garage and driveway; the bathroom; the laundry; the kitchen and the toilet.
THE GARDEN, GARAGE AND DRIVEWAY
Mulch, mulch, mulch – Mulch prevents evaporation of precious water which is needed by your plants, and if it keeps water in the soil where it is needed that means less watering you have to do to replace it. There are lots of advantages by mulching your soil such as providing nutrients as it breaks down, keep the soil cooler in hot weather (better for plants and other soil organisms) and it also prevents the soil surface being compacted by heavy rain. Once the soil surface is compacted the rainwater runs off instead of infiltrating the soil, then when your plants are wilting in hot weather when you water them you lose a lot of irrigation water through runoff too. Mulching means that the water form rain and water you apply goes where it is needed, into the soil.
Increase the organic matter in your soil – The amount of organic matter in your soil greatly increases its ability to retain moisture and this is especially true of sandy soils. By incorporating animal manures, compost or a green manure into your soil the organic matter and hence water holding capacity increases. When coupled with a good mulch, abundant soil organic matter ensures that not only does rainwater get into the soil it stays where it is needed in your plants root zone.
Install overhead veggie covers – Over the last summer we had lovely clear days that were very hot and the strength of the sun caused our veggies to wilt in the ground, almost regardless of the amount of water we applied. To try and recover the situation I put up some frames and covered them in shade cloth to try and break the sun down a bit (see what I did here) and it not only stopped the strong sun killing off the plants it reduced the amount of times I had to water.
Install water efficient irrigation – Irrigating the veggies by hand using a hose takes time, allows water to evaporate before it gets where it needs to go and can waste water through runoff and overspray. Water efficient irrigation using techniques such as drip irrigation, irrigation lines being run under mulch and the use of ollas will make maximum use of the water you use to keep you plants alive and thriving.
Store rainwater in the ground – If you increase your soil organic matter and mulch you are well on the way to keeping rainwater where you need it most, in the soil. But there are still other techniques that can enhance your soil moisture. One way is to look at how rainwater runoff comes onto and leaves your property and the build swales across water flows. Swales are mounds of earth which have a ditch in front of the them filled with organic matter or gravel etc. that allows water penetration. The swale slows the runoff water down and directs it into the porous ditch, preventing the water from leaving your site and letting it soak into the soil. When properly designed a system of swales will be constructed so that the overflow from one swale is directed into another down the slope.
Another method for storing water in your soil is to reduce or eliminate impervious areas on your property such as concrete, asphalt or plastic sheeting so that rainwater does not run off these surfaces. Rainwater hitting these materials can run off your property and be lost to you and your plants. Porous surfaces ensure that runoff is reduced and water is directed into the soils where it is needed. Examples of this approach include replacing concrete paths with gravel or woodchips or installing tracks instead of a solid concrete driveway. Where it is not possible to do away with impervious areas, divert the runoff to areas where it can be utilised by plants.
Consider using a wetting agent – If there has not been any rain in your area for some time and the soil has dried out it may actually become hydrophobic or in other words water repellent If this occurs, one way round this problem is to irrigate with water containing a wetting agent such as a small amount of dish washing liquid or commercial wetting agent. This decreases the surface tension of the water and allows it to soak into the soil.
Fit a trigger nozzle to your hose – If you don’t have a more efficient system for watering your fruit and vegetables but your hose, make sure you have a trigger nozzle fitted so that you can shut off the water when you are moving from plant to plant or bed to bed. You should also water early in the morning or late in the afternoon as this gives time for the water to soak in before the sun hits the soil thus reducing water loss through evaporation.
Wash cars with a bucket, on the lawn or use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
BATHROOM
Install a low flow shower head – This can reduce the water use to less than half that of a standard shower head, down from a bit over 17 litres per minute down to a bit less than 7 litres per minute or in other words, save you 10 litres per minute for every minute the shower is in use. That is an amazing amount of water savings.
Catch cold water in a bucket while waiting for the shower to run hot – Back a few years ago when the drought was in full swing and John Howard was our prime minister, someone asked him if he was prepared to do this his response was disappointingly "no that would be taking it a bit far wouldn't it?". It is such a shame to see all that potable water (and the energy to produce it) wasted by letting it just flow down the drain when it can be so easily be caught and used to water plants, flush toilets or put into washing machines. Just keep a spare bucket in the bathroom and away you go!
Limit showers to 3 minutes – This where one of those little 3 minute egg timers comes in handy. It is only when you starting timing showers that you really start to appreciate how long a shower takes, particularly if you are female and need to wash your hair. (I’m just stating from my own observations). The three minute shower can be accomplished but you need to be organised and keep an eye on the hourglass, alternatively a time with a really annoying buzzer well outside the shower cubicle can be a keen motivator.
Use a shower interrupter valve – When you are washing your hair (I am reliably informed) there is a requirement to let the conditioner sit in your hair for a while, particularly if you are female and have long hair. Presumably, rather than waste all that shower water you turn the shower off. Unfortunately, when you turn the shower back on it takes some time to adjust both taps to get the temperature right, and during that time more water is wasted. Hence the interrupter valve, which sits between the taps and the shower nozzle, usually where the outlet for the flexible hose comes out of the wall. All you do is flick it to one side when you want the water to stop and when you flick it back the other way the water flow restarts at exactly the same water temperature as when you turned it off, and you don’t touch the taps. We have one….it works!
Shower consecutively or with a friend – This can sound like more fun than it is, particularly if your significant other likes the water hot enough to raise blisters and you prefer a more moderate temperature. Having said that there is a fun game called “black rain” where you and your significant other shower together with the lights off, however this may not reduce your shower time. Showering consecutively means there is no water wasted on reheat time.
Don’t run the tap while shaving or brushing your teeth – we have been into saving water for so long I can’t remember ever having done either. This a is a proverbial no-brainer, just don’t do it!
Always wash hands in cold water – I have no problem with this, but some people of the female persuasion may regard it as a bit draconian, especially in winter, but it also means no long seconds waiting for the water to run hot while all that potable but cold water runs down the drain. Your call.
LAUNDRY
Install a front loading washing machine – while a front loading washing machine can tend to take longer per load of wash and be noisier they also use less energy, detergent and water, up to 70% less water. I found the difference in water use to be amazing after we replaced our old top loader with a front loader a few years ago. Another benefit is that they are actually gentler on clothes and so you will get a longer life out of them. Again, I am not saying to rush out and buy a new washer, but when the time comes, give consideration to a front loader.
Only wash full loads – In most cases your washing machine will use a set amount of water regardless of how many clothes are in it, so by filling it up before you use it it means less washes. This then translates into less water used.
Hand wash small loads in a bucket, make a dolly or use a pressure washer – If you find that you do get a small load and don’t want to wait, you still have options. Back in the days before washing machines they had what was called a washing dolly which was sort of like a three, four or five legged stool (as small one) on the end of a long stick or a “prosser” which was like a copper cone on the end of a stick and either was used to wash clothes by agitating them in a wooden or metal bucket designed for the purpose. A recycled 20 litre plastic drum and a (clean/new) toilet plunger would approximate this system or you could make yourself a dolly. Once the wash was done, toss the water out on the lawn.
A more modern device which can be used for small amounts of laundry is the pressure washing machine (Wonder Wash). The idea is you place your washing in the in the washer drum which is a pressure vessel on a stand, place hot water and detergent inside, replace the lid and seal. By rotating the washer vessel drum the hot water heats up the air inside, causing pressure to increase. Theoretically this causes the cleaning agents to be forced into the clothes. After 3 minutes of rotating the drum manually you release the pressure by turning a valve and remove the clothing. To rinse repeat with clean water.
Don’t wash clothes until they need it – This is a hard one when you have been brought up to believe that you must wash your clothes after they have been worn once. However in many cases, with outer wear particularly, clothing will be suitable for wearing for more than one day. Just have a good look and smell and if it looks and smells good, it is right to re-wear and this will reduce the number of washing loads you need to run in a week saving water, energy and chemicals. OK, if you are working in the garden or under the car your clothes will probably need washing but don’t assume – always check before you wash.
KITCHEN
Wash veggies in a basin or tub – Fairly simple one this, it is really easy to keep the tap running when peeling the spuds or whatever and a whole stack of water can end up going down the drain. By having a tub or basin with water in it you can wash the dirt off and peel your spuds using much less water and then toss the water out on the lawn, veggies or fruit trees at the end.
Don’t defrost under running water – This can be a real water waster, but if you plan correctly you can defrost in the fridge overnight and save that water. If you forgot to plan ahead, place your meat on a metal surface like a metal sink or cast iron frying pan or even on your granite counter top if you have one, it works a treat.
Catch cold water while waiting for it to run hot – in a similar way to when you are taking a shower, have a catch tub which fits into the sink easily that can hold the cold water while you are waiting for it to run hot.
Install an aerator on kitchen taps – This is an interesting one because although aerators restrict the flow of water it still feels like there has been no change to the water pressure. Aerators are ideal for flow based tasks such as hand washing, but will have an impact on the time take during volume based tasks such as filling a kettle. Overall, the use of aerators is a cheap and easy way to save water.
Wash dishes by hand and only wash once a day – I have always been a fan of hand washing dishes over the use of electric dish washers because generally hand washing uses less water, although these days there are dish washers which approach the water consumption levels of hand washing. Whatever you do, don’t wash things up after every meal, wait until the end of the day and do one big wash, overall the consumption of water is less.
Get hold of a low water use dishwasher – if you must use a dishwasher, make sure you get hold of a modern, low water consumption model. Again, don’t rush out and replace your existing one, wait until it needs replacing or just don’t use it and wash by hand! (LOL)
TOILET
Install a composting toilet – There are composting toilets which are approved for urban/suburban use although they can be expensive, but they are absolutely the best water saver in this room of the house! Also, if you can get an approved model and install it as required, you may be able to get the sewerage treatment fee removed from your water bill, which is a considerable saving. Otherwise you can fly under the radar and home make a cheapie, you will still have to pay sewerage charges but you may reduce your water consumption dramatically. (depending on type of toilet, number of people using it, flushing habits etc.) More about composting toilets.
“If it’s yellow, let it mellow, if it’s brown flush it DOWN!” – This was a catch cry form when we had droughts years ago. It does seem a bit silly to me to use over 20 litres of clean potable water (in an old-style toilet)to get rid of a couple of cupsful of pee. So with no expense, just a little behaviour change, you can reduce your water consumption considerably. Another alternative is to get people to pee in a bucket, dilute 10 to 1 with clean water and use it as fertiliser!
Install a dual flush cistern – Dual flush cisterns are pretty common these days, the idea being that a 3 litre “half” flush is used for urine and a 4.5 – 6.0litre full flush is used for faeces. If your current toilet is the “one size fits all” type, particularly if it is on the older side it could be worth replacing particularly if you are remodelling the area, which is what we did. You may be able to replace your current cistern with a dual flush one with out replacing the pan, but check with the manufacturer first.
Flush the toilet with warm up water – One way you can use those bucket loads of saved up shower and sink water is to flush the toilet with them. While it is possible to just lift up the seat and pour water into the pan directly to simulate a flush, this is not very water efficient. Toilets are designed to remove the waste by admitting water into the pan from the cistern so a better way is to turn the toilet water supply off at the tap and then fill the cistern with recovered cold water from the shower etc.
Install a touch sensitive flush on older toilets – If you have one of the older style, single flush, large volume cistern, one push of the button and the entire cistern empties type of toilets you can install a tube that fits into the open overflow of single flush toilet systems causing the toilet to only flush whilst the flush button or lever is held down. There is a commercial version imaginatively called the “Water Wizz” Toilet Water Saver. The idea is that when you flush; say after a pee, you only hold the button down for enough time to effectively flush, rather than wasting the whole cistern full of water every time you push the button.
Put a soft drink bottle full of water in the cistern – again, this trick is for the old time, high flush toilets and by using it in one of the newer more water efficient toilet cisterns you may compromise the toilets’ ability to flush correctly. The basic idea is you full up a soft drink bottle with 1-2 litres of water and then place it in the cistern. The drink bottle will then displace 1-2 litres of water in the cistern and correspondingly reduce every flush by 1-2 litres. This can save a lot of water over time.
Back to Part 1 - Introduction
On to Part 3 - Virtual Water
