As the poet Dorethea Mackellar so evocatively put it, we are a nation of extremes.  When not in drought, (my state – NSW – just yesterday was declared drought free after 9 years of the worst drought in the states history) we are dealing with flooding – some parts of NSW have been declared disaster zones due to flooding in the past couple of days.

The storage levels of the main dam supplying water to Sydney’s 4.5million inhabitants is regularly reported on and water saving measures are often on the agenda of political figures as well as being top of mind for consumers.

I recently did my bit for water conservation by taking up Sydney Water’s offer of highly subsidised installation & purchase of a new water efficient toilet potentially saving up to 25,000 Litres a year of water.  The offer involved having a licensed Sydney Water plumber come out to my house, remove our old inefficient toilet and replace with a brand new toilet.  The plumber costs are waived and the discounted toilet cost can be paid over the course of a year as part of your quarterly bill.  In addition, Sydney Water offers replacement of shower heads for flat cost of $22.   As a result of these measures, my latest bill showed an average daily reduction of 100 Litres from last year (when I was working full time).  Such an easy thing to do and great tangible benefits.

I’m hoping that the recent deluge and the drought free declaration won’t make some people complacent about water as if history serves correctly we’ll have water shortage issues once again and I firmly believe that we need to act as if drought conditions are the status quo.

Following are some tips on water saving borrowed from a variety of sources – let me know if you have any more tips.

1. Install a rainwater tank
2. Reuse your greywater
3. Buy efficient appliances – minimum of 3 star/AAA rating, front loading washing machines, dual flush toilets etc
4. Check for leaks in taps, pipes and dishwasher hoses
5. Insulate hot water pipes
6. Wait until you have a full load in your dishwasher before using it.
7. Don’t rinse dishes before loading, instead use the rinse and hold settings.
8. Put in the plug as soon as you start running water to fill the sink. Keep the water pressure low while you wait for it to get hot.
9. Think before using the dishwasher.
10. Use only as much water as you need in the kettle to cut your electricity costs at the same time.
11. Use the load adjustment button on your washing machine to take into account the load volume
12. Take short showers.
13. Bathe your young children together
14. Use a bucket to collect water while waiting for the shower to get hot
15. Check the four-day forecast – If there’s rain ahead, let the rain do your watering for you
16. Direct downspouts and other runoff towards shrubs and trees, or collect and use for your garden.
17. Consider drought tolerant plants, which will continue to grow without excess water use.
18. Avoid the installation of ornamental water features
19. Use a screwdriver as a soil probe to test soil moisture. If it goes in easily, don’t water.
20. Use a watering can
21. Use a pool cover
22. Compost your soil regularly as it helps the soil retain moisture
23. When mowing the lawn don’t cut the grass shorter than 2cm.
24. Plant during the spring or autumn when the watering requirements are lower.
25. It’s best to water the roots and soil around plants rather than spraying the leaves and flowers.
26. Water your garden in the cool of the early morning, or in the evening
27. For hanging baskets, planters and pots, place ice cubes under the moss or dirt to give your plants a cool drink of water and help eliminate water overflow.