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Melbourne's water
storages are currently at:
41.9%
breakdown by reservoir
(you can click on each reservoir
for more information)
Thomson: 27.2%
Cardinia: 43.4%
Upper Yarra: 69.9%
Sugarloaf: 84.1%
Silvan: 88.9%
Tarago: 60.5%
Yan Yean: 54.6%
Greenvale: 66.6%
Maroondah: 100.0%
O'Shannassy: 100.0%
saving water at home and school
How can you save water at home?
There are lots of ways you can save water at home. Here are some ideas:
1. Take shorter showers
Shorter showers will not only save water but also reduce your hot water costs.
2. Install a water efficient showerhead
You can save up to 13,500 litres of water per person each year by installing a water efficient showerhead (based on a seven minute shower average).
3. Don't leave the tap running
Make sure you don't leave the tap running when you brush your teeth. Simply fill a glass of water to use for rinsing.
4. Install a rainwater tank
Install a tank and connect it to your toilet, laundry and garden hose. Tanks are available in a various sizes and styles - and you may qualify for a Water Smart Gardens and Homes Rebate on the purchase cost.
5. Buy a water efficient washing machine
If you're buying a new washing machine, make sure it has at least a four-star water efficiency rating. Front-loading washing machines are usually the most water efficient, using up to 50% less water.
6. Look to the stars!
When buying new appliances, remember the more stars, the more water efficient the appliance.
7. Wash with a full load
Make sure you use your washing machine correctly and that you adjust the water level to suit the size of your load, or better still wait until you have a full load.
8. Use a plug
Use a plug in the sink when preparing vegetables, cleaning fruit or washing dishes by hand.
9. Install a dual flush toilet
For a family of 4, installing a dual flush toilet can save more than 35,000 litres of water a year.
10. Water your garden in the coolest part of the day
It is water wise to only water your garden during the coolest times of the day - early in the morning. Up to 40% of water will evaporate if you water your garden during the day. There are restrictions around the times you can water your garden. Check our water restrictions page for details.
11. Check the four-day forecast
Visit the Bureau of Meteorology website. If there's rain ahead, let the rain do the watering for you.
12. Target the roots
If you water the root zone around the base of the plant, instead of the leaves, you can use less water.
13. Use mulch
Using mulch or compost will increase the water absorption and the moisture content of the soil.
14. Choose the right plants
Drought tolerant plants are a water wise choice as they need less water and are much better suited to our dry climate.
Water saving ideas for schools
- Place ice cream containers under school water fountains and pour excess water on the garden.
- As soon as you finish washing your hands, make sure you turn the tap off.
- Get someone to fix any leaking taps, water fountains or toilets as soon as possible. Make it a classroom activity to check for leaks regularly.
- Place containers outside when it rains and collect the water to put on the garden.
- Wash your paint brushes in a bucket or ice cream container, rather than under a running tap.
- Bring a water bottle to school. At the end of the day, any left-over water can be poured onto the garden.
- Raise awareness of the importance of saving water by creating colourful posters on water.
- Start a "Water Saving" team. Members of the team can have important roles such as monitoring leaking taps, designing posters on water saving tips, and telling friends about their achievements.
- Install aerators on taps to reduce flow through taps.
- Install rainwater tanks. Use rainwater to flush toilets or for watering the garden.
Why save water?
In Melbourne we are very lucky to have high quality drinking water. But it is important to remember that water, wherever it comes from, is taken away from the environment. That's why water conservation is so vital. It's important we don't take more than we need and to do more with less.
Households use the majority of water that is supplied to Melbourne
Source: Our Water our Future - The next Stage of the Government's Water Plan (Victorian Government 2007)
More than half of the water from our reservoirs - about 60% - is used by residential users, families at home.
About 30% used in industry - factories, businesses, schools and councils.
Around 10% is called 'non revenue' water. This includes leaks, water used by fire-fighters, stolen or is unaccounted for as a result of meter inaccuracies.
At home about 80% of water is used indoors
Source: Our Water our Future - The next Stage of the Government's Water Plan (Victorian Government 2007)
20% of water used at home is in the garden. 30% is used in the shower. The remaining 50% is used for washing clothes, flushing the toilet, using the dishwasher, having baths and other general tap use.