The Advertiser
By: Frances Stewart
Saving water around the home can also save money, with many water-wise ideas paying for themselves within a few years.
Scientists predict climate change will lead to less rainfall in South Australia and it will become even more important to make the most of every drop in the future.
A dripping tap in the kitchen, laundry or bathroom can waste more than 20,000 litres of water a year, but can be easily repaired in most cases with a replacement washer, which costs a few cents from a hardware store.
Remember to turn the water off at the mains first before replacing the washer.
Leaking toilets can waste even more water than a tap - up to 100,000 litres a year - which is almost half the total amount used by the average South Australian household in a year.
Some leaks will be obvious, but slower leaks can be harder to detect.
To check for slow toilet leaks, place a few drops of food dye in the cistern and wait 15 minutes. If colour appears in the bowl without flushing, the toilet has a leak.
Fixing toilets can be difficult and householders who are not confident should contact a plumber. However, in some cases it can simply be a matter of replacing the seal within the cistern or adjusting the float. Installing a dual-flush toilet is another way to save water. Older toilets use about 11 litres of water every time they are flushed. Dual-flush toilets usually use about six litres for a half flush and nine litres for a full flush. The latest water-saving dual-flush models use just three litres for a half flush and 4.5 litres for a full flush.
Households with single-flush toilets can still save water by placing two two-litre plastic bottles filled with water in the cistern.
Alternatively, a flush regulator can be installed, which stops the toilet from flushing when the button is released. These can be bought from most hardware stores.
Grey water can also be used for flushing toilets. Simple systems, which cost about $900, collect water from the shower and bath and hold it for 24 hours, before discharging it to the sewer if not used. Permanent grey-water systems may require council approval.
Replacing old-fashioned showerheads with a showerhead with a water efficiency rating of three stars or better can cost as little as $20. But it can save about $100 a year on the average household's water bill, as it can save up to 20 litres of water a minute.
Installing aerators on taps can cut the amount of water used to wash hands from 20 litres to 10 litres.
Tap flow control aerators cost as little as $5 from hardware and plumbing shops.
But the single biggest mains water saver households can buy is a rainwater tank. In SA, rebates are available to plumb rainwater tanks into the home.
Households can buy a 5000-litre tank and a pump for about $2000, which includes installation.
A rainwater tank of between 2000 and 10,000 litres is ideal in SA, where rainy days can be few and far between.
LOOK FOR THE STICKER
* A new Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme has been introduced to help you identify new water efficient products.
* Products for sale, such as taps, washing machines, dishwashers and toilets, now have stickers on the product or packaging which reveals how water efficient the product is.
* The more stars on the label, the more water efficient the product.
* Different products attract different ratings.
* For example, the most efficient shower heads on the market have been awarded three stars, while the most efficient washing machines and taps have five or six stars.
* So, look for the most stars when purchasing new products and appliances.
* For more information, and to compare products, go to www.waterrating.gov.au
REBATES
* WASHING MACHINES: A rebate of $200 for the purchase of a new water-efficient machine with a WELS rating of four stars or more, bought on or after November 1, 2007.
The machine must be purchased, installed and operational to claim a rebate.
The machine must be for personal use and you must provide the original receipt when claiming the rebate.
Rebates also apply for home water audits, low-flow showerheads and retrofitting a dual-flush toilet.
* RAINWATER TANK: A rebate of up to $1000 for buying a new rainwater tank and plumbing it into the home.
Rainwater rebates apply when water from tanks is used to supply toilets, washing machines and hot water systems.
The State Government offers up to $800 to buy a new rainwater tank to plumb into an existing home, or up to $600 to plumb an existing rainwater tank.
A rebate of $200 is available to plumb another tank or a replacement tank into a home.
If it is already plumbed in,
$200 is also available to expand the rainwater tank supply network to at least two more fixtures in the home.
All rainwater tanks need to be at least 1000 litres in capacity.
* Water Rebates Hotline: 1800 130 952.
The tip: Rainwater tanks over 5000 litres may be wasted on roofs less than 100sq m.