Think small, save big

Small changes to your daily routine could lead to big savings in the amount of water you use.

Christchurch is lucky to have one of the highest quality natural water supplies of any city in the world but we are approaching the point where the amount of water being used is greater than the aquifer recharge rate.

“If we are not careful in the way we look after our supplies of fresh, clean water, one day we could find ourselves short of this precious resource,’’ said John Mackie, the Christchurch’s City Council’s Head of Three Waters and Waste.

Save water by keeping your shower under four minutes.

“Most people have no idea of how much water they use or where it goes after they turn on the tap. If we are all more conscious of our water consumption and made a few small changes to our routines it could significantly ease the pressure on our water supply,’’ Mr Mackie said.

For example, if people simply turned off the tap when they cleaned their teeth or shaved, they could save 10 litres of water a minute.

Keeping showers short and baths to a minimum could also make a big difference,’’ Mr Mackie said.

Other simple water saving tips include:

• Rinse or peel vegetables in a bowl or sink filled with water instead of running the tap – you could save 10 litres of water every minute.
• Rinse the dishes in a sink filled with water, rather than under a running tap.
• Keep a jug of drinking water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap water until cold.
• Collect the water you use for rinsing fruit and vegetables, then re-use it to water indoor plants.
• Only flush the toilet when you need to. 
• Wait until you have a full load before starting your washing machine or use the partial load settings.
• Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors.

Find out more about how you can save water.