Water saving tips in Melbourne
Water. It’s the essential product for survival, cleanliness and growth. But how much is too much? Society today depends on showers, washing machines, hoses, sinks and toilets for a clean lifestyle. And whilst most of our wages are appropriate for this cost, there is still an unnecessary amount of water being used in most households in Wyndham. What do I mean by this? Well, to begin with, a toilet leak isn’t obvious and often goes unnoticed. This can lead to up to 100 litres of water being wasted per day, as well as $2000 extra on your water bill each year. That’s a trip to Bali or New Zealand.
Another example is inefficient shower and toilets in Point Cook. An easy way to check the efficiency of your appliance is by checking the Smarter Choice energy rating. Any product below a three-star rating is not water efficient enough to ensure you are saving as much water as possible. Many people may overlook the water they are wasting with excuses such as “there’s plenty of water in the world” and “the water I waste won’t mean anything in comparison to the rest of the world”. Let me put it this way, 97.5% of the earths total water supply is salt or saline based, meaning it is unusable by humans. Of the 2.5% of fresh water available, 1.5% of it is trapped in glaciers, snowfields and underground. Therefore, only 1% of the world’s complete water supply is what’s available to 7.5 billion humans and 1 million other species. So, to put it simply, every single drop matters. Don’t waste water with a broken toilet Point Cook!
So how exactly can you save water, and therefore save money? Firsty, purchase a low flow showerhead – By upgrading to a 3-star water efficient shower head, you can save up to 13,500 litres of water per year. That’s up to $50 saved. Rebates are available for free showerheads in the links at the bottom of the blog. Replace inefficient toilets – upgrading to a three-star dual flush system will save you $45 per year. Fix your toilet leaks – As mentioned earlier, toilet leaks are unnoticeable. But an easy way to find out if your toilet leaks is by placing a dye tablet in the toilet tank. If the dye seeps into the tank, there is a leak and a plumber should be called as soon as possible to repair it. This can save up to $2000 a year.
Limit the time spent in the shower– An individual’s shower should be reduced to 4 minutes long (Shower as long as a 4-minute song). Reducing your shower to this will save up to $350 a year. Garden mulch– Using garden mulch on your gardens will reduce its water evaporation up to 70%, and therefore reducing the water used on watering your beloved plants. Consider installing a grey water system– What is grey water? It’s any domestic water waste produced, minus sewage. This includes showers, sinks and washing machines. The grey water system filters solids (such as lint or hair) and removes chemicals to make the water available for use by toilets, washing machines and gardens. This will save approximately 300 litres a day.
Water Tanks– From personal experience, a water tank will save your household a large percentage of your water bill. After installation, the water used in the household can be completely dependent on the water tank, and therefore can save you from having to pay for water at all.
How can the team at McCarthy Plumbing Group help you save money on your water bill?
- They can install water efficient showerheads
- They can install water efficient toilet systems (and fix leaks)
- They can install grey water systems
We service the Western suburbs of Melbourne including Point Cook, Werribee, Werribee South, Hoppers Crossing, Wyndham Vale, Tarneit, Truganina, Altona, Altona Meadows, Laverton and Williamstown.
Call 039931 0905 or visit www.mccarthyplumbinggroup.com.au
Rebates
If you find the cost of installations and upgrades of these products out of your budget, there are rebates available to help you achieve this at http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/rebates. There are rebates available for free showerheads and financial assistance to buy energy efficient appliances including fridges, freezers, dryers, washing machines, dishwashers, computers, IT equipment, lighting, heating, cooling, insulation and hot water systems. Other helpful links
For information on saving energy: http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/
For information on a free water efficient showerhead exchange: http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/rebates/showerhead-exchange-vic
For information on the Smarter Choice Energy Rating program (including tips, advice and a running cost calculator): http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/services-and-advice/households/energy-efficiency/smarter-choice
For Yarra Valley Water high water bills help and advice: https://www.yvw.com.au/help-advice/why-my-water-use-high
