Rainwater tanks, `grey' water and drought-resistant gardens. These are concepts that have become part of our everyday life over the past few years, as households Australia-wide learn to live with the recent drought conditions.
But it's working, with figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showing that total water consumption in 2004-05 was down 14 per cent from 2000-01.
The latest national snapshot of environmental issues and trends released by the ABS shows
that the big dry has seen water consumption fall considerably.
More than one-fifth of all households around the country reported that their home had a rainwater tank in 2007, while more than half of all households had at least one water efficient shower head and 81 per cent had at least one dual-flush toilet.
The ABS report shows that the majority of Australian households are undertaking water saving activities; 67 per cent saved water in the bathroom, 64 per cent in the laundry, 50 per cent in the kitchen and 40 per cent in the toilet.
According to consumer watchdog CHOICE, there are plenty of simple steps you can take to limit your household's water use, such as choosing efficient appliances and incorporating water-saving gadgets -- some of which only cost a few dollars.
CHOICE has published a report outlining a range of water-saving strategies, as well as `which-to-buy' lists for water-efficient products including dishwashers, washing machines and showerheads.
Other products listed are on/off switches for the shower, folding buckets to store water for reuse, and low water-use toilet systems.
"With current drought conditions in Australia and the realities of global warming starting to hit home, the lack of water and the probability of price hikes has become a concern for consumers," CHOICE media spokesperson Christopher Zinn said.
Some water experts estimate that by reducing water use by 50L per person per day, we could delay or even completely avoid the need for new water provision infrastructure, such as dams and desalination plants. Reducing water consumption also saves householders a significant
amount on their water bills.
"Our report shows that saving water at home needn't cost a fortune. You can do a lot with a few dollars, and even more with a few hundred," Mr Zinn said.
CHOICE offers the following practical suggestions:
* Install water-efficient taps, known as aerators, which give the feel of a high flow rate with only half the water.
* Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. It seems so obvious, but many people still leave the water running, wasting at least 5L per minute. That's around 11,000L per person per year.
* While waiting for the shower to warm up, save the cold water in a bucket for reuse elsewhere in the home or garden.
* Install a water-efficient showerhead and try to limit your shower to four minutes. Shaving your legs adds another four minutes to your shower -- that's 36L. Consider a hair removal procedure that does not use water.
* You can save water by not rinsing plates and cutlery before putting them in the dishwasher -- just scrape the food scraps off. All dishwashers can cope with a certain amount of food, even when it's left to dry for a while. CHOICE has tested dishwashers under these conditions and found that most perform reasonably well.
