Water is essential for all life and is the most abundant substance on Earth, yet water scarcity is one of the biggest issues facing us today. Australia is the world’s driest inhabited continent and 2019 was the hottest and driest year on record. Climate change is impacting the Australian landscape and the affects are already being felt with widespread droughts and the intense and early start to the fire seasons.
See how Climate Change will affect you.
You can be part of the solution by looking at your water usage and exploring ways that you can be more Waterwise and live more Sustainably.
There are many ways to be waterwise.
In the home
- Take shorter showers.
- Use the half flush button on your toilet instead of the full flush button.
- Turn taps off when brushing teeth
- Check for dripping taps
- Only run the dishwasher or washing machine went it is full
- Don’t put rubbish or chemicals down the drain.
- Don’t turn the tap on too hard while washing your hands and turn off it properly.
- Use a broom instead of a hose to clean paths and driveways.
In the garden
- Water the garden early in the morning or in the evening because less water evaporates when it is cooler.
- Plant Australian plants that are native to your area and mulch your garden.
- Find alternatives to fertilisers and pesticides that may contain harmful chemicals.
- Wash the car on the lawn.
- Reuse your bath water for plants
- Check for dripping taps
- Collect rain water to use in the garden
Water Usage Calculator
Try out the Hunter Water: Water Usage Calculator to calculate how much water you use each year. The Water Use table lists how many litres of water are used for common household activities each day. You can also use this to calculate how much water you use each day and help you find areas to reduce consumption and become Waterwise.
| WATER USE | LITRES |
| Toilet (Single flush cistern) Toilet (Duel Flush) | 11 litres 3 litres for a half flush 6 litres for a full flush |
| Bath | 100 litres |
| Shower (standard shower head) Shower (low flow shower head) | 20 litres/minute 10 litres/minute |
| Dishwasher load | 12 litres |
| Washing machine load | 90 litres |
| Brushing teeth with tap running | 5 litres/minute |
| Drinking, cooking, cleaning | 10 litres person/day |
| Hand basin per use | 5 litres |
| Garden sprinkler | 15 litres/minute |
| Garden dripper per hour | 15 litres/minute |
| Car Washing with hose | 15 litres/minute |
| Hosing driveway | 15 litres/minute |
| A dripping tap can waste up to | 200 litres of water/day |
| Leaking or running toilet | 500 litres of water/day |
Remember to check on your local water restrictions
Find out more about Water Scarcity and the impacts of Climate Change on Droughts with the following links:
