Saturday, February 07, 2009

Water Saving & Reusing

HOT HOT HOT Weather dont like it one bit for the last 3 weeks its been 43 & above at work we dont have air con, we do have fans but they really dont do much to combat the heat they do however blow all our paper work around the place.

but enough about that today i am here to talk about WATER & how i am working towards saving & reusing as much as possible.

1 to 6 are things i already do 7 to 10 are things i am working towards

1. Buckets in the shower, they get filled while the water is heating up & then they are tipped in the water barrels & used on my gardens.

2. Water Barrels are filled by the shower water & rain coming off the roof {mmm rain havent seen that in quite a while}

3. square bucket in the kitchen sink to wash all my veggies, also gets tipped into the water barrel's.

4. Water saver shower heads, water savers on the kitchen & bathroom sink spouts.

5. 2 plastic bottles out of the recycle bin, filled with sand & put into the toilet cistern, we already have dual flush but this makes them use less water again.

6. Front load 4 star water rating washing machine.

7. hose from washing machine to back yard to keep things watered {lawn, flower gardens etc at the moment these get little to no water}

8. CaromaToilet Suite with Integrated Hand Basin, these are awesome, wash your hands above the toilet
cistern, then the soapy water goes to fill the tank to flush the toilet.

9. Water Tanks

10. Water from Tanks to use for the toilet, washing machine & laundry sink {well if it ever rains that is}



Why should i replace my single flush toilet
By Sydney Water
http://www.sydneywater.com.au/

Let Sydney Water's qualified plumbers replace your single-flush toilet with a new 4-star, water-efficient dual-flush toilet. With this all-inclusive service you can save up to $200 on the price of the toilet and installation.

Single-flush toilets are one of the biggest users of water in homes - using 12 litres of drinking water with every flush. By switching to a 4-star dual-flush toilet, you can save about 25,000 litres of water every year.

Sydney Water's Toilet Replacement Service includes:

  • choosing between three different 4-star, water-efficient, dual-flush toilets
  • removing your old single-flush toilet
  • installing a new 4-star, dual-flush water-efficient toilet plus a 10-year warranty
  • cleaning up afterwards
  • choosing between a single payment or spreading the cost over four water bills.
a standard toilet costing $330 installed i think would pay for itself in no time at all. i think this is something to think about if you still have a single flush toilet.

see also the Sydney Water link for rebates for new water saver washing machines.

Rainwater Tank Rebate

The Rainwater Tank Rebate provides up to $1500 for rainwater tanks connected to toilets and washing machines.
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/rebates/ccfrtw.htm


The Rainwater Tank Rebate is available for the installation of any new rainwater storage system in residential properties in NSW.

Eligibility

  • The tank(s) must have a minimum 2000-litre capacity and be purchased in full and installed between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2009.
  • Households not connected to the mains supply are eligible for a rebate for the purchase of the tank only.
  • Rainwater tanks installed to comply with BASIX (the Building Sustainability Index) for new homes, major renovations or a pool installation are not eligible for a rebate.


How much is the rebate?

The rebate is based on the size of the tank and whether it is plumbed into your toilet or washing machine.

Tank(s) capacity Tank Rebate Connection to toilet(s) Connection to washing machine(s)

Maximum total

2000-3999 litres

$150

$500

$500

$1150

4000-6999 litres

$400

$500

$500

$1400

7000 litres and above

$500

$500

$500

$1500



if anyone else has any water saving tips leave me a comment or a link to your post.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Nicole thanks for some great ideas. I find we start to laspe into old habits after awhile and occasionally need a gentle reminder aboout the water situation.
Our dams are down to 10.6% now so everydrop really is precious.
I do like the look of the loo with the basin on top.
Emily