We know many of you don't like to waste water, and would also like tools and reminders to help you save. And while we all need to maintain behaviours like washing hands regularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are lots of other ways to save water around the home and garden. So, we've set the "How low can you go?" challenge to help preserve water storages.
And what’s a challenge without a challenge master? Meet Henry, our very own H2O hero, he has some really easy tips to share about how his family saves water.
By making a few simple changes to your everyday habits, the water savings can really add up.
Indoor Water Savings
We've included some of our favourite challenge ideas, so before you get started, it's a good idea to write down your goals. You can set them individually, as a household or family. Putting a sticky note somewhere is always a great reminder. So remember, commitment is the key factor, take small steps until one day it is no longer an unusual activity but a habit. Be persistent, practice makes perfect.
Let the water saving challenge begin!
Eating:
Cleaning:
Shopping:
Challenge: Time your shower with a song, we've created our Bathroom Beats playlist just for you.
Challenge: Collect it with a bucket and use it to water plants.
Challenge: Bath the children together.
Challenge: Clean your teeth in the shower.
Challenge: Go one better and use a cup.
Challenge: If it's brown flush it down, if it's yellow let it mellow.
Challenge: Place a few drops of food dye into the cistern. After 15 minutes check the bowl, if you see the dye, you may have a leak.
Challenge: Keep a bucket handy for rinsing off dishes throughout the day.
Challenge: Try a reuseable water bottle.
Challenge: Save time and nutrients and consider steaming.
Challenge: Stock up on a few glass bottles with stoppers so you can chill more than one.
Challenge: Capture water from other parts of the house to use on plants.
Challenge: To mow or not to mow – how low should you go?
Challenge: Water early morning, for longer periods, less frequently.
Challenge: Relocate them and save yourself from dragging the hose around.
Place a saucer under pot plants to save any water from being lost.
Challenge: Bottom watering, have you heard of it? Place the plant in a tub or sink with a few inches of water. The drainage holes will absorb the water into the soil.
Laundry:
Challenge: Wear your clothes more than once.
Challenge: Do multiple items, use the sink for washing and a bucket for rinsing.
Pets:
When cleaning fish tanks, give the nutrient-rich water to your plants.
Wash your pets using a bucket of warm water.
Challenge: Reuse the water on the car or garden.
Pools:
Challenge: Cover when it's not in use, especially in summer, it can reduce evaporation by 90-95%
Challenge: Enforce a 'no bombing' rule to keep all the water in the pool.
Outdoor areas:
Challenge: Using a blower could save time and effort.
Challenge: Give your place a once over and check for leaks or any repairs that need to be done.
Vehicles:
Challenge: Use a high-pressure hose or bucket.
Challenge: Wash in the rain.
Challenge: Use a waterless car wash.
Saving water doesn’t stop there. Learn more about switching over to water sustainable practices that can save you money.
So go on, challenge yourself, you might be surprised how simple it is to save water and money too!
If you'd like to share your handy tips, let us know and we'll publish them here.
There are no current water restrictions for Brisbane, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley and Somerset. Water restrictions are in place for most of our off-grid communities in the Scenic Rim.