AS THE WEATHER warms and summer starts, TasWater is encouraging people to use less water.

“Traditionally, we use more water during summer, but with the weather bureau forecast of warmer than average days this summer, we are asking everyone right across Tasmania, to conserve water,” TasWater Asset Strategy Manager David Graham said.

“Conserving water helps to protect a precious resource, helps to make sure there is enough water for everyone and also reduces the impact on our environment – the less water people use, the less water we divert from rivers and dams.

“This flows right through to sewage – less water down the drain reduces the amount we need to treat, which then reduces the amount of treated effluent being discharged into waterways.

“Using less water means we don’t need to treat and pump as much water and sewage, also reducing our costs and carbon emissions.

“If everyone makes a small amount of effort to change the way they use water, we can better manage the demand and help protect our environment.”

Making small changes around a home and business can be a big help in making our water last longer.

TasWater also takes steps to help ensure we are as efficient as possible too. We continually monitor our drinking water catchments, review our operations for improvements and have an ongoing renewal program to upgrade ageing infrastructure.

Tips to conserve water

Inside your home:

• Check all leaky taps - a new washer can make a big difference. A very slow dripping tap can waste up to five litres of water per hour.

• Try not to run your taps - cleaning teeth and washing your hands under running water can use up to five litres of water.

• Make the most of your dishwasher and washing machine - full loads are the go.

• Dual flush toilets are super efficient. A half flush uses three litres of water; a full flush is six litres of water. Old cisterns can use 18 litres of water in a single flush.

• Keep those showers short and sharp - five minutes is all you need! A water efficient shower head will use nine litres per minute as opposed to a standard shower head that uses 18 litres per minute.

Outside your home:

• Hand watering uses less water - invest in a watering can for those pots and garden beds.

• Try watering early of a morning or late of an evening when there is less evaporation.

• The best watering system is a slow, low flow drip system.

• Use plants that are native to the area or drought resistant.

• Mulching your gardens will prevent up to 70 per cent of evaporation and keeps those weeds suppressed.

• Use your broom, not your hose. High pressure cleaning of paved surfaces wastes large quantities of water.

For further information,- call TasWater media contact, Kirsty Reid on (03) 6422 5310.