In Australia we are lucky to have a steady supply of fresh, clean water, but with much of the country in severe drought, it’s important we all play in our part in conserving water where we can. One place we can all control our water use is at home. Budget Plumbing Centre is the leading supplier of bathroom fittings Perth builders and homeowners rely on for high quality plumbing fixtures at affordable prices. Let’s look why being water-savvy is important and a few easy steps you can take around the home to minimise water wastage.

Why is it Important to Save Water?

Only 3% of the water on earth is fresh water and suitable for drinking, and of that 3%, only 1% is actually available for drinking – the other 2% is locked in ice caps and glaciers. Australia is also the driest inhabited continent on the planet, so it is vital that we use water wisely and make a conscious effort to conserve it as much as we can. Conserving water will help to:

  • protect and preserve our environment, including wildlife
  • build safe and beautiful communities as firefighters, street cleaners and hospitals etc. all rely on large quantities of water
  • minimise the effects of drought
  • save you money by lowering water and energy bills

How to Save Water Around the House

Take shorter showers. A daily shower can use anywhere between 6 to 45 litres of water per minute. Cutting showers back to four minutes or less could reduce your water usage by up to 20 per cent.

Install water-saving showerheads. These showerheads have been proven to reduce water usage by around 40 per cent. If you don’t want to change your showerhead for décor or other reasons, you could choose to install a flow restrictor instead which will have a similar effect.

Learn to repurpose water. While waiting for the shower to warm up or while rinsing vegetables in the kitchen, save the cold water in a bucket and use it for the garden, pot plants, soaking clothes or even flushing the toilet.

Install water-efficient taps. Known as aerators, these taps give the feel of a high flow-rate, yet use only half the amount of water.

Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. One of the easiest things you can do, yet many people still leave the water running which can waste around 5L per minute. That amounts to 11,000L per person per year!

Upgrade your toilets. A modern dual-flush cistern and pan is the most efficient option. If it is not practical to replace your whole toilet, you could update an old-style single-flush toilet with a dual-flush cistern. Alternatively, you could install a device to stop the toilet flushing when you take your finger off the button.

Only use dishwashers and washing machines when needed. Using your dishwasher and washing machine only when you have full loads will help to optimise water usage. If you can’t wait for a full load, change the settings to suit.

Install a rain water tank. In many locations around the country, installing tanks is an easy and practical way of harvesting rainwater for use in the home or garden. Easy to install, rain water tanks collect most of the rain (around 80%) that falls onto the areas of your roof that are connected to gutters and downpipes – meaning if 10mm of rain falls on to 100m2 of roof, you’ll harvest about 800L of rainwater!

Fix any leaking taps and toilets promptly. A tap leaking at the rate of one drip per second could waste 6288L of water every year, so fix those leaks now.

We couldn’t survive without water, but now more than ever, it is important to focus our attention on smarter water usage. There are many simple things you can do and many cost-effective products and devices you can purchase to help make your home as water efficient as possible.

Whether you are building, renovating or upgrading your fixtures and fittings for maximum efficiency, Budget Plumbing Centre can help with all the bathroom fittings you need for your Perth home. Visit our showrooms today or shop our range online now.