Most new habits, take a couple of weeks of consistent practice before they take hold. So don’t wait till the next water crisis before you start to think about what you can do to save water, start now.

Incidentally, the experts tell us that Part Two of this episode of Weird Weather in 2007 will involve a drought by the middle of the year. It is certainly hard to imagine this now, when not a day seems to go by without an evening downpour, but a period of prolonged dry weather is in the cards. Let’s all do our part to conserve our water resources. Talk about it with your household; with a little commitment, every member can play their part.

In the Garden:
- don’t cut lawn shorter than 2cm 
- mulching your garden can save up to 73% of water lost through evaporation
- a forgotten sprinkler can waste 1000 litres of water per hour  - water during the cooler periods of the day, early morning or late evening

The Car:
- use a bucket of water and a cloth to wipe off the dust instead of hosing your car
down every other day

The Kitchen: 
- a running tap can use up to 15-20 litres/minute. Fill the sink to soap and wash your
dishes. 
- wash fruit and vegetables in a sink half full (approx. 12 litres) instead of leaving the
water running. 
- an average dishwasher uses 35 litres per wash so follow the manufacturers
instructions and maximise its use 

The Laundry: 
-you can use up to 120 litres each time you use the washing machine 
-when buying a new washing machine look for one that is water and energy efficient 
-front loading washing machines use 40% less water than top loading washing machines

The Bathroom & Toilet: 
-replacing a single flush toilet with a 6/3 dual flush can save up to 8 litres per flush (or for the average family 36,180 litres per year) 
-Leaking toilets can waste up to 16,000 litres per year 
-don’t leave the tap running while you brush your teeth, wash your face or wash your hands
-older style shower heads can use up to 24 litres per minute. When installing a new shower head, look for a water saving model.

Your suggestions
If you have other ideas of how we can cultivate new habits in the way we use or waste water? Send your comments in here and we’ll continue to update our recommendations!