Saving water tips

Why do we need to conserve water in Dunedin?

Water is a taonga (treasure) – we need to use it wisely.

Dunedin’s daily water supply is limited. Our community relies on water from rivers, treatment plants can only supply so much, and there is a limit to how much water can be stored.

When it’s dry for a long time, streams and creeks dry up, groundwater levels fall, pipeline breakages increase, and back-up pumping systems and treatment plants work much harder. At the same time, water demand increases.

When the demand for water is higher than the available supplies, we need to bring in outdoor water restrictions to carefully manage demand. Everyone in Dunedin has a part to play, and every change counts.

What you can do to conserve water

Each person uses between 180 and 250 litres of water each day, not including garden watering. There are some simple things you can do in your home and garden to reduce your water use.

Outdoors

• Water your garden by hand in the early morning or late evening. Using a trigger hose or watering can is best. A garden sprinkler uses over 1000 litres of water per hour, using a timer can reduce water use.
• Soak the garden every few days. Light watering makes plants shallow-rooted and most of the water is lost through evaporation.
• In dry weather, check your garden every 4-7 days, if your soil is moist 10cm below the surface don’t worry about watering.
• Adjust your lawn mower to cut at 40-50mm. Taller grass holds soil moisture better.
• Leave lawn clippings on your grass and mulch around plants to retain moisture. This also helps keep the weeds at bay!
• Consider harvesting rainwater or saving grey water from your bath and laundry for garden use.
• Check your sprinkler and hose for leaks.
• Wash your car/boat from a bucket rather than hosing. Washing your car with running water can use up to 400 litres.
• Cover pools and spas to prevent water evaporation.

Indoors

• Have a shorter shower or cut down the amount of water for your bath. Each minute in the shower uses about 14 litres of water and filling a bathtub takes about 300 litres.
• Turn off the tap when you are brushing your teeth or shaving.
• Set your washing machine to the proper load size. Around 20% of indoor water use comes from doing laundry.
• Hold off putting the dishwasher on until it has a full load. Use the dishwasher in preference to handwashing – dishwashers use less water than handwashing.
• Keep an eye on your taps for leaks. A dripping tap uses 100 litres a day.
• Check your toilet for leaks, a continuously running toilet can waste more than 700 litres of water per day.
• Cook food in as little water as possible. This also helps retain nutrients.
• Use a small bowl rather than a full sink or running water to wash vegetables.
• Defrost food in the fridge rather than using running water.
• Recycle old water from pet bowls, kettles, etc, to water plants.
• Keep a bottle or jug of cool water in the fridge rather than running the tap and waiting for it to cool.

Planning for the future

• Choose plants that don’t need too much water.
• Position plants with similar watering needs together (hydro-zoning) this enables you to water them more effectively.
• Look for the 6-star Water Conservation rating if you are buying new appliances.
• Consider installing aerated tap mixers and a water-saving showerhead.
• Consider installing a dual-flush toilet cistern or place a weight in the cistern to reduce capacity.

Water restrictions

Demand for water can put a heavy burden on available supplies. When this happens, water restrictions may be needed. There are different levels of restrictions and will depend on the situation at any given time. Check what water restriction level you’re affected by and what you need to do at each level: Water restrictions.

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