Be water wise
Be water wise
Save water in your home
You can start being water wise in your home with our handy tips. Learn how to save water in your bathroom, laundry or kitchen.
- You can save up to 11 litres of water every minute by installing a water efficient shower head.
- This can save you up to 50 per cent on every flush.
- When you're brushing your teeth, lathering your hands or shaving.
- You can save water and money just by choosing water-wise appliances. To help you choose the most water efficient appliances, Australia has mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS). Labels apply to all showerheads, washing machines, toilets and urinals, dishwashers and some types of taps. The scheme includes minimum water efficiency standards for toilets. Labels on flow-control devices are optional.
- This scheme tells you how water efficient a product is. The more stars on the label, the more water-efficient the product. Choosing to buy only high efficiency products will help you save water.
- Aerators mix air with your water. They reduce water flow without affecting pressure.
- If you don't have a fully-loaded washing machine, adjust the load setting to the volume of your washing.
- Read our leak detection guide to find out if you have a leak you can't see. For your cistern, it's easy, just put food colouring in the cistern and if the colour shows in the toilet bowl without flushing, you've got a leak.
- And when it’s time to run, make sure you use the right wash settings.
- When you need to run the taps and use it in your garden. Do this when you're waiting for water to heat up or cool down. You can also do this when washing vegetables.
Save water in your garden
To help your garden to thrive while being water wise, we have some practical and sustainable gardening tips to use water efficiently and effectively.
- You can water by hand at any time, using a hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, a watering can, bucket, or drip-feed irrigation system.
- The most efficient time to water is before 9am, or after 6pm.
- Let your lawn grow to around 2cm to keep it healthy, maintain good ground coverage, reduce evaporation and protect your soil from the sun. This will help keep your soil moist.
- An easy trick to help you know when your lawn has had enough water is to pop a drinking glass under the sprinkler, around 1cm (or a fingernail length) of water caught in the cup is a good indication that your grass has had a decent drink.
- Remember, the most efficient time to water is before 9am or after 6pm.
- Use mulch to cover exposed garden soil and protect it from the harsh sun.
- Using a pool cover can prevent water evaporation and provide a more effective use of your pool.
Sweeping your paths and paved areas rather than spraying them with a hose is a more efficient and effective way to use water which is good for our gardens, good for the environment and good for all South Australians.
We recommend only hosing down paved areas to:
- protect public health
- ensure the safety of people using the area
- ensure the health and welfare of animals using the area
- deal with fire, accident or other emergencies.
Make sure you use a hose fitted with a trigger nozzle, or a high-pressure, low-volume water cleaner.
To ensure the most efficient use of your water, park your car or boat on a lawn before you wash it and use a:
- bucket or watering can
- high-pressure, low-volume water cleaner
- hand-held hose fitted with a trigger nozzle.
- Shrubs and trees can be layered over ground covers to create a complete vegetation system. Refer to our Native garden inspiration list for examples of good ground cover species.
- Your soil will hold water for longer if you add some organic matter or a wetting agent, and mix through for moisture efficiency. When your soil stays moist, you don’t need to water as often.
- Irrigate according to your soil type. Clay soil needs a nice big drink with a steady flow and can hold onto that water for longer. Sandy soil needs less water more frequently.
- A quick and easy way to tell if your soil has the water it needs, is to use a moisture probe. In just a few seconds, the dial will indicate if your soil is dry, moist or wet.
- Group plants together according to their water requirements. Create watering zones and use a watering can or drippers to apply the right amount of water needed for each zone.
- Use layers to fill a space vertically and protect the soil, retain moisture and create a microclimate in your garden. Include matt forming or ground cover species, low plants, shrubs and trees to create a three-dimensional structure, designed to grow well and look lush.
- Keep on top of weed removal to reduce water wasted on weeds that compete with your plants and lawn for moisture.
