Helping you to

save water

Working in partnership with Papakura

About Veolia Water

Why save water? Did you know there is only one per cent of the earth’s water that we can use? The other 96.5 per cent is salt water and 2.5 per cent is frozen. So, it is important that we take care of what we have and use this precious resource wisely. Household water consumption varies depending on the weather, number of people living in the house, their activities and the size of your garden. Depending on all these factors, an individual may use between 200 and 400 litres a day. In most households, water consumption is spread fairly evenly amongst the bathroom, toilet, kitchen and laundry. Watering the garden can also account for large amounts of water. In New Zealand, an average household uses 20 per cent of their total water consumption in their garden.

Through our franchise agreement with Watercare Services Ltd, Veolia Water is responsible for providing water and wastewater services to your property.

This guide provides estimated water usage for common household activities and ways to reduce your water consumption.

We provide a 24-hour service and operational activities include the management, maintenance and operation of water treatment plants, the water and wastewater pipe network as well as wastewater treatment facilities.

Saving water is important to the environment, reduces demand on the water network during warmer months and saves you money!

If you would like to learn more about Veolia Water’s operations, please visit www.veoliawater.co.nz

The first step is to find out how much water you are currently using by reading your water meter.

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How to read your water meter

To monitor your water usage, read your meter at the same time each week and write down the readings. Subtract the previous reading from the current amount and the difference is your water usage. An average household of three people use about four kilolitres (4,000 litres) a week. For example: Current

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Previous We use a metering system to determine how much water you have used. The meter records all water entering your property and approximately every three months we take a reading and bill you accordingly. You can use your meter to monitor your consumption and check if you have any water leaks.

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On your meter read the BLACK FIGURES ONLY. The BLACK figures show the number of thousands of litres of water used.

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Saving water in the bathroom and toilet Check your hot water system If you have a hot water tank in your roof, make sure it is operating properly and not overflowing. If this is occurring you will notice a constant stream of water coming from the external overflow pipe (probably near your back drain). If this is the case, contact a licensed plumber. Potential savings: Depends on the flow and frequency of the overflow

Fix leaks and drips A dripping tap or shower head is a common cause of water wastage. One drip per second equals 1.8 litres of water wasted each hour. Over a week this can be more than 300 litres wasted. Potential savings: Depends on the number of leaks and their frequency, but one drip per second is about 43 litres per day

Have shorter showers Depending on water pressure, most showers will use between 10 – 20 litres/minute. The less time in there, the more water you will save.

Turn taps off Do not leave taps on when brushing your teeth or shaving. Potential savings: Up to 10 litres per minute

Potential savings: Up to 20 litres per minute

Reduce your water pressure Reducing the water pressure in your shower or installing a water saving shower head can cut down your water use by 50 per cent. Potential savings: Up to 50 litres per day per shower

Use the bath wisely Baths use a lot of water. Depending on their size, baths and spas take between 100 to 200 litres of water to fill. Instead, have a shower or only partially fill the bath. Potential savings: Up to 100 litres per bath

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Saving water in the bathroom and toilet

Saving water in the kitchen

Install a dual flush cistern A full flush uses about nine litres each flush, so use the half flush when possible. Potential savings: 4.5 litres per flush

Stop using your toilet as a rubbish bin Using your toilet to wash away tissues or other rubbish is a waste of water and can lead to your pipes becoming blocked, resulting in blockages and overflows. Potential savings: Up to 9 litres per time

Check your toilet for leaks Try putting a small amount of food colouring in the toilet tank. If the colouring appears in the bowl without flushing, it indicates there is a leak. Leaking toilets waste a lot of water and should be repaired immediately by a licensed plumber. Potential savings: Depends on the severity but this could be as high as 100 litres per day

Wash the dishes wisely If you have a dishwasher, use it only when it is full or, if this is an option, adjust the water levels. Most modern dishwashers do a good job of cleaning dishes so pre-rinsing is a waste of water. Potential savings: 50 litres a day If you only have a small number of dishes, use the plug and wash them in the sink. A running tap uses about 10 litres per minute, so leaving the tap running while washing wastes water. Potential savings: 40 litres per wash Stop using your kitchen sink to dispose of food scraps, fats or cooking oil as they can cause blockages or overflows.

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Saving water in the kitchen

Saving water in the laundry

• Discard them on your compost or garden –

they are natural and will break down and be absorbed into the earth

• Wipe frypans with a paper towel before washing • Let the fat cool and wrap in newspaper or pour into a tin and place in the rubbish bin

Buy a water efficient dishwasher Water efficient dishwashers use less water. Look for one with a AAA water conservation label – the more As, the more water efficient it is. Potential savings: Up to 10 litres per load

Check for leaks and drips Make sure washers and dishwasher hoses are in good condition. Potential savings: One drip per second equals about 43 litres per day

Buy a water efficient washing machine A front loading washing machine uses approximately 50 per cent less water than a top loading machine. Look out for the AAA water conservation label – the more As there are, the more water efficient it is. Potential savings: 50 litres per wash

Use the suds saver option Some washing machines have an option that lets you re-use water for multiple loads. Potential savings: Several litres per wash

Preparing food

Set your washing machine correctly

Use a plug in the sink when washing vegetables and thaw frozen food in the microwave rather than running them under hot water. Microwaving or steaming are more water efficient ways of cooking vegetables.

Only use the washing machine when you have a full load or adjust the water levels on your washing machine to suit the load size. Potential savings: 50 litres a wash

Potential savings: Up to 10 litres per minute

Check for leaks and drips

Keep cold water in the fridge Keep a jug of water in the fridge rather than waiting until the water runs cool on a hot day. Potential savings: 10 litres each time

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Make sure the washers and fittings are in good condition on your washing machine. Potential savings: One drip per second equals about 43 litres per day

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Saving water in the garden Look for leaking pipes If you notice a particular patch of lawn grows more than the rest or there are constantly wet patches in your garden, it may indicate a leaking water pipe. Contact a licensed plumber to rectify this. Potential savings: This will vary depending on the leak

Swimming pools Use a swimming pool cover – this helps save water from evaporation. An effective pool filter and cleaner will also limit having to drain and clean the pool each year. Potential savings: Up to 200 litres per day in evaporation and 20,000 – 30,000 litres each time you drain the pool

Clean without a hose Use a broom or rake instead of hosing driveways and paths. Potential savings: 1000 litres per hour

Make a water efficient garden Check your taps Make sure garden taps are turned fully off each time after use and that the washer is in good condition.

When planting choose water efficient plants, group them according to their water needs and place them in appropriate areas of the garden depending on the sun or shade they need.

Potential savings: Depends on the number of leaks, however, one drip per second equals about 43 litres per day

Use a timer Install a timer to the tap to ensure a sprinkler or hose is not left on. Manual timers also prevent sprinklers being automatically turned on when it is raining. Potential savings: 1000 litres per hour

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Saving water in the garden Remove weeds Pull out weeds and unwanted plants – they only compete for available water. Potential savings: Up to 100 litres per hour

Use mulch Protecting bare soil with approximately 10 centimetres of mulch can reduce water evaporation by approximately 70 per cent. Mulching also prevents soil erosion and weeds from growing. The best mulch is well-rotted compost which will also improve the soil structure. Mulch with coarse elements is more effective than fine mulch. Place mulch away from the trunk to prevent collar rot, a common plant disease. Potential savings: Varies depending on water levels and weather Make a small well or dam around the plant so that if you are hand watering you can fill this and leave the water to slowly soak around the roots. You could also dig in a small plastic pipe next to the plant to get water straight to the roots. Plants with deep root systems can access moisture at deeper levels of soil, so when planting dig deeply and add some compost to the hole.

Aerate your lawn Aerating your lawn occasionally with a corer or fork will help water to get to the roots of the grass and not run off. Remove weeds from your lawn as they only compete for available water. Potential savings: Up to 1000 litres per hour

Potential savings: Up to 1000 litres per hour

Make your pot plants water efficient Use plastic rather than terracotta pots as these do not dry out as fast. A good quality potting mix and water crystals will also help with water retention in pot plants. In summer, place a saucer underneath to capture excess water. Potential savings: Several litres per plant

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Saving water in the garden

the street so excess water and detergent goes into the garden rather than the stormwater system. Potential savings: Up to 100 litres per car wash

Choose lawn that needs less water When planting a new lawn, look for varieties suited to your conditions and requiring less water. Your local garden centre will be able to help you select this. Potential savings: Up to 1000 litres per week

Divert water runoff Where possible, build driveways, paths and paved areas in such a way that any rain runoff is directed onto a garden area rather than down the drain. Potential savings: Reduces amount of watering needed

Water wisely Do not overwater your lawn Overwatering your lawn will encourage the roots to go deeper in search of water. However, when you do water, do it thoroughly and early in the morning or evening when temperatures are lower to avoid evaporation. Potential savings: Up to 1000 litres per hour

Wash your car on the lawn Use a bucket and sponge rather than a constantly running hose. Only use the hose at the end to rinse off. Where possible, park the car on the lawn rather than on

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Only water where it is needed – water the roots of plants and not the leaves. Train your plants to get by with less water and only water when they need it. It is possible to cut the amount of water without affecting how they look. To check how moist the soil is, take a pinch of soil from just below the surface and rub it between your finger and thumb. A muddy smear mark indicates there is moisture close to the surface and watering is not required. Wait until the topsoil is completely dry and then give the area a deep soaking. Potential savings: Hundreds of litres through unnecessary watering

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Saving water in the garden An alternative to sprinklers is to install an irrigation or drip system which delivers water directly to each plant avoiding wastage. Potential savings: Up to 1000 litres per hour

Do not mow too low or often During summer, do not mow your lawn as often and increase the height on your mower to help prevent evaporation from the soil. Wash your car on the lawn too so any excess water is put to use rather than going down the drain. Potential savings: Up to 1000 litres per hour

Turn the water pressure down Resist the temptation to turn the tap on full as it boosts water pressure and increases the amount of water emitted as mist. You may also be watering unnecessary areas such as paved paths and driveways.

Water when it is cooler Operating a sprinkler or irrigation system when it is cool and calm will maximise water usage and conservation. Night watering (provided there is no wind) is particularly efficient because evaporation is lower.

In most instances, you can reduce the pressure (and the water flow) by one third without significantly reducing the area covered. This will also reduce the amount of misting. Potential savings: Up to 300 litres per hour

Potential savings: Up to 1000 litres per hour

Use sprinklers and irrigation systems wisely When water is forced through a sprinkler it comes out as droplets. The largest, being heavy, quickly fall to the ground. Smaller, lighter droplets travel further away from the sprinkler and a small quantity emerges as mist. When using a sprinkler on a hot day up to 30 per cent of the mist and 15 per cent of the small droplets can be lost through evaporation. On a hot and windy day, up to 90 per cent of the water applied from a poorly designed sprinkler system can simply disappear!

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Veolia Water 116 Great South Road Papakura (09) 295 0515 www.veoliawater.co.nz