Water ConservationPenapenanga wai

Kitchen

• Make sure the dishwasher is full before you use it.
• Use less dishwashing liquid so you don't have to rinse.
• Don't wash the dishes, or scrub vegetables with the water running. Put the plug in and run some water into the sink.
• Use vegetable scraps as garden mulch instead of wasting water flushing them through the waste disposal.

Bathroom

• Don't leave the water running while shaving or brushing your teeth.
• A low flow showerhead can save up to 50 litres of water for each six-minute shower, or up to 20,000 litres of water per person per week.
• Take shorter showers. A quick shower uses less than quarter of the water used in a bath.
• Only fill the tub with as much water as is required, you don't need as much in your tub for babies or pets

Toilet

• Check for leaks. Put a few drops of food colouring in the toilet cistern and wait. If it appears in the toilet bowl without flushing, you have a leak. You can save up to 2.5 million litres of water (35,000 bathtubs of water) a year by fixing your leaky loo.
• Use a dual flush system - if you haven't got one, put a brick in the cistern so you use less water.
• Don't use the toilet as a rubbish bin by flushing tissues or squashed bugs that should be put in the bin.

Garden

• The average garden hose delivers 1000 litres of water in an hour so if you have sprinklers on, don't forget them. Ideally use a timer.
• Water at cool times of the day - early in the morning is ideal. This is better for the plants and less water is wasted through evaporation.
• Not watering in windy weather also lessens water evaporation.
• Soak don't spray every fourth day in summer. This makes plants hardier and encourages the roots to go deeper into the soil to seek out moisture.
• Remove weeds. They compete with your plants for water.

Outside

• Install covers on pools and spas to reduce water evaporation.
• Park the car on the lawn when washing it and turn the hose off when soaping.
• Fix leaky taps with new washers. If it still drips, call a plumber.
• Tell Wairoa District Council if you see water leaking from street hydrants or in other public places.

Laundry

• Remember that washing machines can use up to a bathtub full of water per load.
• If your machine has a water level adjustment, use it! Otherwise, wait until you have a full load before washing and you'll save up to 10 litres of water for every wash and cut your electricity costs as well.
• How good is your washing machine? Think about water efficiency next time you are purchasing a new machine.

Water Efficiency

• Imagine if the water only trickles from the tap.
• Imagine if you're only allowed to use the washing machine once a week.
• Imagine if water becomes so precious that it is too precious to waste.

Remind your family to save water. By using water efficient fittings on toilets, taps and washing machines we can reduce the amount of water we use by at least 50 litres per person each day.

Some clothes washers use three times as much water than water efficient machines doing exactly the same job. How good is your washing machine? Think about water efficiency next time you are purchasing a new machine. Check out the guide to choosing an energy efficient appliance: www.energyrating.gov.au

Contact

For more information please contact the Wairoa District Council.

+64 6 838 7309
customerservices@wairoadc.govt.nz
97-103 Queen Street, Wairoa 4108
PO Box 54, Wairoa 4160