Handy Tips for Saving Water Over Summer

With the arrival of warmer summer days, New Plymouth District residents are being asked to go easy on their water use.

There are no water restrictions in place and the New Plymouth Water Treatment Plant is likely to be able to handle the usual spike in water demand – but water conservation is still being encouraged.

“Quite simply, it makes good environmental and economic sense to get into the habit of water conservation regardless of its availability,” says Manager Water and Wastes Brent Manning.

“As soon as the summer heat is felt, the demand for water spikes.

“However smart use of water means our gardens and the like will still benefit, but without unnecessary waste. It also means we spend less money because we’re not processing more water to meet a higher demand.”

Nearly two-thirds of water used by householders during summer goes into the garden, while more than 70 per cent of indoor water use occurs in the bathroom and more than 20 per cent is in the kitchen and laundry.

Here are some tips for smart water use:

In the garden

• Check your garden’s soil moisture before watering. Dig 10cm into the soil and if the soil is moist at that depth, you don’t need to water.
• Use a good mulch. This can prevent about 70 per cent evaporation loss while discouraging weeds, which compete for water. Mulch also improves the soil’s ability to hold water. The soil must be moist before applying mulch.
• Water the garden only on calm days, during the evening or early morning to minimise evaporation.
• Use native plants that are adapted to your local climate.
• Save grey water for garden use.

While you’re outside

• Use a bucket and brush, not a hose, when you wash the car and the house windows.
• Avoid filling swimming pools right to the top, to minimise wastage through water slopping over the sides.
• Cover your swimming pool – you’ll stop the water evaporating.

Indoors

• Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator so you don’t waste water running the tap to cool the water down.
• Fix dripping taps. A steady drip of two drops a second wastes 100L a week.
• If you wash your dishes by hand, don’t leave the water running when rinsing them.
• Don’t leave water running while you clean vegetables. Put the plug in the sink.
• Use full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine whenever possible, or use the half-load switch. You’ll save as much as 125L per full wash.
• Turn off the tap when shaving or brushing your teeth.

For more water saving tips, check out our Water Usage and Saving Water webpage.


Water Usage and Saving Water


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