While Redlands Coast has experienced some heavy rainfalls in recent days with more to come, it won’t be long before the city is facing hot and dry summer weather.
Redland City Council is reminding residents that we all need to think about being water wise.
The reminder came during last week’s National Water Week when the spotlight was on inspiring communities and organisations to work together on water issues and a sustainable future.
Redland City Acting Mayor Julie Talty said it was an opportune time for residents to think about how they can use water more wisely.
“Summer days can be dry and hot and the rain relief we get from storms over summer can be patchy in terms of where it falls,” Cr Talty said.
“It is important not to take our water for granted.”
Water portfolio representative Councillor Wendy Boglary said National Water Week – which was hosted by the Australian Water Association – encouraged residents to pause and think about how often they turned on a tap.
“When you start paying attention to those everyday moments when we automatically reach for running water, you may be surprised at how often you do,” Cr Boglary said.
“Water is a valuable and finite resource, and we need to use it wisely.”
Redland City Council’s Top 10 quick and easy tips for saving water and saving money:
- Turn the tap off when brushing your teeth, soaping up your hands, or shaving – this can save nine litres a minute.
- Installing a three-star water-efficient shower head will use no more than nine litres of water per minute.
- Take shorter showers, ideally less than four minutes. Swap your bath for a four-minute shower and you can save more than 65 buckets of water in a week – enough to fill a pool in a year.
- Scrape plates to the bin, don’t rinse your dishes, and use the dishwasher. Dishwashers use less water than washing by hand and are designed so you don’t need to pre-rinse your dishes.
- Think before putting water down the sink. Empty your water bottles into your garden or pet bowls, instead of down the sink. Rinse vegetables in a bowl and then use the water on your garden.
- Fix leaking taps. You should check your water meter regularly (monthly or three-monthly) to monitor and understand how much water you use. This will also help locate leaks early, saving you both water and money.
- Wash your clothes with full loads to save water, electricity and time. By running one less load per week, you can save more than 11 buckets of water.
- If you have a pool, use a pool cover. A properly fitted pool cover can stop up to 97 per cent of evaporation; this will also reduce the amount of chemicals required to treat the water.
- Water your garden when it is cooler and less likely to evaporate. We recommend watering between 5-10am, and at a slower rate for a longer time to encourage deep root growth. Use a trigger hose or bucket when washing your car and try to wash it on the lawn rather than the driveway.
- Install a rainwater tank or investigate ways to redirect water from downpipes to use on your garden. This can decrease your use of town water and reduce your water bills.
For more ideas on being water wise, go to Council’s Conserving Water webpage at redland.qld.gov.au
