Water is precious. Every litre must be treated, stored, and delivered to your home. Using less water reduces pressure on local supplies, treatment systems, and the environment, helping to lower the risk of water restrictions during the hotter months.
Water use by Selwyn households is very high – the average "household" uses over 675 litres per day. By being water wise at home, we can save money and keep water flowing for everyone this summer.
Tips for saving water at home:
- Do full loads - whether it's using the dishwasher or washing machine.
- Keep drinking water in the fridge. This saves having the tap running until you get cold water.
- Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
- Shorten your shower.
- Use a car wash, which recycles the water.
- Use a council or school pool.
- Reuse water from the kitchen when washing vegetables and cooking, to water your plants.
- Water your garden between 9pm and 6am.We recommend drip line irrigation or a soaker hose over spray irrigation. If you’re using an irrigation system, make sure it’s on a timer.
- Water your garden (prioritising your vegetable garden and fruit trees) every few days rather than every day. Skipping some days keeps your plants strong as wetting the soil surface every day encourages roots to develop at the surface, which makes them more vulnerable to hot dry spells.
- Mulch, mulch and more mulch! Use mulch or cover the soil with organic matter to keep the soil moist. Mulches protect plant roots from the drying effects of sun and wind and reduce weeds.
- Water the earth, not concrete. Your driveway, footpath, or buildings don't need watering – make sure you're watering the soil.
- Water what needs it. No need to water the berm – let it die off during summer to save money on your water bill and wear and tear on your lawn mower.
- Plant natives. When planting new additions to your garden choose drought-resistant plants that don’t require a lot of water.
- Check for leaks. Inspect hoses and taps indoors and outdoors to check for leaks.
Get more tips on SMART watering.
How much water do we use?
The table shows the amount of water typically used for different household activities.
| Activity | Water used | Buckets |
|---|---|---|
| Bath | 50 to 120 litres (half full) | 5 - 12 buckets |
| Shower | 70 to 160 litres (8 minutes) | 7 - 16 buckets |
| Washing machine | 23 litres per kg of dry clothing | 4 - 5 buckets |
| Tap | 200 litres per day, if leaking | 20 buckets |
| Hose | 600 to 900 litres per hour (hand watering) | 60 - 90 buckets |
| Sprinkler | Up to 1,500 litres per hour | 150 buckets |
| Washing a vehicle | 100 to 300 litres | 10 - 30 buckets |
| Filling a pool | 20,000 to 50,000 litres | 2,000 - 5,000 buckets |
Harvesting rainwater
Installing a rainwater tank is relatively simple and inexpensive, and the benefits are ongoing.
- Rainwater is a good source of water for using on your garden.
- It can also be used for washing your clothes, flushing the toilet, and – if it's properly treated – for drinking and other household uses.
More information about how to harvest rainwater is available on the MBIE Smarter Homes website.