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Water

Water

 

 

 

 

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth. Here in the Illawarra recent rains have been small relief after several years of very low dam storage levels.

Image: Illawarra residents are leading the way in saving water in the home and garden.

Water Restrictions have recently been eased, yet the reality is that we cannot afford to keep flushing high quality drinking water down the drain.
At present, Illawarra households use on average 245,000 litres of water per year. This ranks us among the highest water users in the world! Grab your latest water bill and find out how do you compare?

As our city’s population grows, we need to think more carefully about how we use water in order to ensure a sufficient supply of fresh, clean water for the future.

Water Saving at Home

Have you installed water saving devices in your house?

  • Send me a Plumber!
    WaterFix will send a  qualified plumber to visit your home to install water saving devices, including a water efficient showerhead. From just $22* you get up to $180 worth of plumbing services
    You can save up to $55 in water and energy costs each year. 
    Call 1800 995 886 or download the brochure to register.
    Reduce your water use by about 21,000 litres of water a year!

Download this list of other things you can do [PDF, 45kb]

Installing a Rainwater Tank

Using a rainwater tank to catch the water that falls on your roof makes so much sense its seems unbelievable that we aren’t all doing it already.

Rainwater Tanks can benefit us and our environment in a number of ways.
They:

  • Reduce stormwater run-off during peak flows that would otherwise cause flooding;
  • Reduce stormwater pollution, contributing to cleaner beaches;
  • Save energy (and greenhouse gas emissions) that would otherwise be needed to pump water to your home;
  • Prevent the need for new environmentally damaging dams;
  • Solve water shortage problems in times of drought;
  • Save you money in the long-run;
  • AND can be installed with minimal fuss on most residential sites in the Illawarra!

Rainwater from your tank can be used to flush toilets, in the washing machine, water gardens and wash cars.

Reusing your Greywater on your Garden

Greywater is the wastewater generated from your washing machine, shower, bath and basins which, when used safely, can replace drinking water for watering lawns and gardens. Water from your kitchen can also be reused as greywater if the correct treatment process is put in place.

You can help to play your part in securing Sydney's water supply by using greywater for both indoor and outdoor purposes. There are three ways that greywater can be reused:

  • manual bucketing - small quantities of water are collected from either the washing machine or the shower in a bucket for reuse outside on gardens or lawns
  • greywater diversion devices - involves the installation of a greywater diversion device to redirect greywater to the garden or lawn via a sub-surface irrigation system. You will need a plumber to install the device. Council approval is not required if the conditions of Section 75A of the Local Government (General) Regulation 2005 are met
  • greywater treatment systems - enables you to use treated greywater for toilets and washing machines, and on gardens and lawns. Council approval is required and you will need a plumber to install the system.

Waterwise Gardens

Using water wisely in the garden helps with plant health, pest control and water conservation.

Smart gardens:

  • minimise lawn area
  • reuse greywater or rainwater
  • comply with water restrictions
  • are watered in the early morning or evening
  • contain the right plant in the right position
  • are mulched to reduce evaporation and maintain soil moisture
  • are always improving soil condition through adding compost

Need help?

Sydney Water has a helpful Plant Selector tool whereby you can choose your region, soil type and plant watering requirements and the tool will provide you with a list of plant species which suit your requirements.  For more information on Sydney Water programs visit the Sydney Water website.

Factsheets & Downloads

NSW Household Greywater Guidelines [PDF, 619kb]

or check online http://www.deus.nsw.gov.au/water/Greywater/Greywater.asp

Greywater Diversion Devices [PDF, 154kb]

Choosing the right Greywater System for your needs [PDF, 147kb]

Irrigating with Greywater [PDF, 306kb]

Keeping Plants and Soils Healthy with Greywater [PDF, 96kb]

Maintenance of Greywater Treatment systems and Diversion Devices [PDF, 100kb]

Links and Contacts

Sydney Water
www.sydneywater.com.au | 1800 995 886
Find out about rebates, water saving programs and more.

Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme (WELS)
www.waterrating.gov.au | 1800 803 772
Search for water efficient products.

NSW Department of Water and Energy
Guidelines for Greywater use in NSW or 8281 7777
Has published some handy fact sheets about reusing greywater at home.

NSW Health
www.health.nsw.gov.au
Manages the register of accredited wastewater management systems and guidelines for residential greywater reuse.

Save Water!
www.savewater.com.au
A helpful resource for water saving tips, and case studies about smart domestic, industrial, commercial water use. They also organise the annual national Water Week in October.

Water Footprint
www.waterfootprint.org
NGO using science to quantify the impact of human consumption on freshwater systems.

Green Plumbers
www.greenplumbers.com.au
1300 368 519
Find a local plumber able to advise on water conservation options for your needs

Your Home
www.yourhome.gov.au
Excellent resources which encourage the design and renovation of homes to make them more sustainable and enjoyable, including a Technical Manual, Buyers Guide, and Renovator’s Guide.

 

Recommended reading and viewing

Your Home Technical Manual
Australia’s most popular and comprehensive 'how-to' tool for renovating, designing and building a more comfortable home that has less impact on the environment, and is more economical to run, healthier to live in and adaptable to your changing needs. Covers how to save water, collect rainwater and reuse grey water. This fourth edition (2008) contains approx. 340 pages of environmentally sustainable solutions for designing and building your home. Also available on-line at www.yourhome.gov.au

Making Your Home Sustainable: A Guide to Retrofitting
Very comprehensive, practical guide by Derek Wrigley (2005), covering rainwater and greywater use, as well as how to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.

Create an Oasis with Greywater
Art Ludwig (2006) opens your eye to the world or greywater systems, from the simplest to the most complex. You can also check out Art’s website at www.oasisdesign.net

Water: Not down the drain
Stuart McQuire provides a comprehensive how to guide on using rainwater and greywater at home. See www.ata.org.au/publications/water-not-down-the-drain

Earth Garden Water Book
Produced by Earth Garden Books (2004), this book is jam-packed with money and water saving ideas to help you become more waterwise.

Gardening Australia
Saturdays, 6.30pm on ABC1 – look out for segments on how to manage your garden for water efficiency.

Flow
An award-winning documentary investigation into the major problems we face with water, and the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis.  See www.flowthefilm.com for more details.

Kiama Municipal Council logo NSW Environment Trust logo This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environment Trust