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Saving water at home

Tips to save water (and reduce your water bill) around the house.

Photo of a woman brushing her teeth.

How to save water around your home

By simply thinking about water while using it around your home, you’ll naturally become more efficient with it and play a huge role in protecting our environment and this precious resource.

Calculate your household's water footprint

Find out what your water footprint is and in which areas of your home you use the most water.

Saving water in the bathroom

The bathroom is by far the biggest contributor to household water use.

Reduce your shower time
Use a low-flow showerhead
Turn off your bathroom tap while brushing teeth or shaving
Does your toilet leak?
Get a water-efficient, dual-flush toilet
You can still conserve water with a single-flush toilet

Saving water in the kitchen

Our everyday kitchen tasks use a lot of water, so adjusting a few habits can go a long way towards conserving water.

Don’t leave taps running while using the sink
Stop rinsing dishes before placing in the dishwasher
Reduce water flow in the kitchen tap with a tap aerator
Upgrade to an energy-efficient dishwasher
Be a water-wise cook
Keep a jug of drinking water in the fridge
Ditch the InSinkErator and try composting

Saving water in the laundry

Up to one quarter of your household’s water is used in the laundry.

Switch from a top-loader washing machine to a front-loader
Change to water-efficient settings on your washing machine
Wash full loads
Use a bucket and recycle water when washing clothes by hand
Don’t over-wash your clothes
Man hanging washing on a washing line.

Common water wasting issues

Two key factors contribute to wasting water around the home: undetected leaks and your home's water flow rates. So, addressing these issues is the first step on your journey to a water-efficient home.

Check for leaks

Dripping taps, dripping showerheads, and leaky toilets all contribute to water being wasted in the home.

To see if you have an undetected leak on your property, locate your water meter at night before bed, then again first thing in the morning (making sure no water was used overnight, which includes flushing toilets and running the dishwasher/washing machine.) If the meter is higher in the morning, you likely have a leak.

If you think you might have a leak, here's how to locate it:

  • Check all taps, inside and outside the home.
  • Look behind the dishwasher for any signs of water.
  • In dry weather, look for damp patches in the garden, lawn, or driveway.
  • Listen for running water inside your home when no taps, hoses, or showers are turned on.
  • If you discover the source of a leak, get in touch with a registered plumber.

A leaking toilet wastes around 80L of water a day

Do this simple test to find out if you have a leak

What does flow rate mean?

Every tap and shower in your house has a specific flow rate, which is the amount of water coming out of the fitting. We measure flow rates in litres per minute, with 9 litres per minute or less being ideal. Measuring the flow rate of your taps is easy and only takes a couple of minutes.

Watch this how-to-video from EcoMatters Environment Trust to learn more about measuring your flow rates.

Flow rate differs from water pressure, which is the amount of force that moves water through your pipes and taps. Water pressure is determined by your hot water cylinder, which determines whether you have mains (equal) or low (unequal) water pressure.

How to reduce your flow rate

If you discover your flow rate is too high, you can install flow restrictors on taps and showers. These are widely available through plumbing and hardware stores. Before buying a water flow restrictor, we recommend chatting to a plumber to ensure the restrictor is compatible with your hot water cylinder. 

Reducing your flow rate results in saving water and power. Learn more about installing flow restrictors with EcoMatters Environment Trust.


High bill due to higher-than-average water usage

If your leak test showed no leak and your water usage is consistently higher than the average of a household your size (see usage target on the back your water bill) you are eligible for a free water check through EcoMatters.

One of the Sustainability Advisors will help you figure out why your bills are high, offering personalised advice based on your home and water use habits. This free check takes about an hour, and any water-devices the team supplies are also free of charge.

Free water check