Slow the flow – water saving devices

A water and energy efficient home not only saves you money, but reduces the impact you are having on the environment.

Reducing your water consumption means lower water bills and energy bills (using less hot water), less pressure on the local water supply and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

The shower is a great place to save water. Slowing the flow and taking short showers saves water, energy, and money from your power and water bills!

• An inefficient shower rose can use between 20 and 30 litres of water every minute. By fitting your shower with a water efficient shower head, this amount can be reduced to as little as nine litres per minute.
• AAA-rated shower roses use less hot water which means your water heater does not need to work as hard and there is less water pouring down the drain.
• With an efficient shower rose, you can save up to 182,500 litres of water each year and between $50 and $100 in water and energy efficiency costs.

Flushing your toilet uses about one third of all household water.
Every year, Australia flushes away more than 78,000 million litres of drinking water!

• A standard single flush toilet can use up to 11 litres of water. A water efficient dual flush toilet uses as little as three litre per flush.
• A leaking toilet can waste more than 16,000 litres of water every year.
• You can buy a dual flush converter for your single flush toilet.

You can cut the water flow from your kitchen and bathroom taps by more than half with a flow control device.

• Water efficient taps fitted with aerators or flow restrictors use 50 % less water than standard taps.
• Flow control valves or restrictors can reduce the volume of water through a tap to between three and 15 litres per minute.

In the laundry, you can make better use of your rinse cycle water by diverting it directly on to your garden.
About 20 % of household water is consumed in the laundry.

• A AAA-rated water efficient washing machine can reduce your laundry water usage by up to 65 %.
• A diverter hose can be fitted to your machine to utilise the greywater produced during your rinse cycle.

A flow control device fits in your tap like a washer and reduces flow by 25-50%

Water efficient fixtures and appliance should have a water efficiency label on them.

There are two types of labels. The original 5A blue water drop labels and the new blue stars.

5A National Water Conservation Rating and Labelling Scheme

The National Water Conservation Rating and Labelling Scheme is administered by the Water Services Association of Australia on behalf of its Members. The Scheme is designed to assist communities not only to conserve Australia's potable water supply but also to protect the environment in general as well as reduce costs to consumers.

Two brochures are now available on the 5A Appliance Labelling & Rating Scheme.

Please click here to download the general brochure on the 5A's scheme.

Please click here to download the Buyers Guide to Saving Water brochure.

For more information visit:
www.waterrating.gov.au

 New Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards ( WELS) Scheme.

A new labelling scheme using blue stars is being phased in to replace the familiar blue water drops with the “A” ratings for water efficient appliances and devices. From 1 st July 2006 the Australian State and Commonwealth Governments will require manufacturers and retailers to display the WELS labels on all shower roses, washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, taps and urinals.

For more information visit:
www.wsaa.asn.au

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