Save water with a tankless water heater

Tankless hot water heaters can save you a lot of water in areas of the home where you need instant hot water. Most tankless water heaters work on the premise of heating water with an electric element in a unit that’s placed, close to the tap outlet. This way you’re not waiting for the water to heat up.

So, for example, if you your kitchen tap is a long way from your conventional hot water system and you’re wasting water waiting for the temperature to heat up, a tankless water heater would save you flushing this perfectly good water down the drain.

Ask your plumber about tankless water heaters for prices and availability.

Tankless Water Heater Solutions Directory
Find tankless and hot water heater distributors. Showcasing the latest tankless hot water heater developments, news and trends to improve energy efficiency, lower costs and save the environment.

Save water with a water saving pool cover

According to discount pool covers, swimming pools loose around 40 thousand to 50 thousand litres of water per year through evaporation.  That equates to approximately the same amount of water 4 people would use showering per year (yep, I did the math based on 30 litres of water per person per shower per day …. perhaps).  That’s a truck load of water.

So, if you own a pool, do our water reserves a  favor, put a cover on it!

Piping water from the bush to the city

The Victorian Governments recent decision to pipe water from the bush to the city (Melbourne) has caused a stir with locals in the town of Koondrook, and why wouldn’t they be angry.  Why on earth would the state government be taking water from drought ravaged country Victoria and piping it to the city when Melbournians are only on stage 3a water restrictions.  Surely crops and animal stock are more important than non-essential city water requirements.

Space saving rainwater tanks

If you’re like me and live in a townhouse or a unit, you probably assume you don’t have the space for a water tank. Not so! There’s plenty of space saving water tank option on the market. Stroll into your local Bunnings hardware and take a look around, there’s plenty of options to choose from at relatively affordable prices including these slimline rainwater tanks.

There are rainwater tanks of all shapes and sizes to fit in a small court yard. The Waterwall, for example, can fit across a back fence or sideway, while the Rain Reviva make a water bladder that fits under your house.

Hydroponic systems in Greenhouses save water and energy

According to one of Australia’s largest growers of tomatoes, hydroponic systems in green houses use around 20% of water compared to field grown produce.  No only is there a massive water saving for hydroponic greenhouse produce, but there’s also large energy savings due to the controlled climate in greenhouses. Greenhouse Experiments by Department of Energy (DOE) Sandia National Laboratories in New Mexico may confirm this.

Water efficient tree watering system

Hydrosyph is a water saving, low cost watering system for plants, used to establish root system of trees, shrubs and other plants during the first 6 to 8 weeks following planting.  Hydrosyph holds water in a reservoir above the plant and delivers water and fertilizer as required by the plant.  This minimizes water evaporation and ensures plants receive the nutrient they need during this vital stage of growth.

The Hydrosposh water system is very cost effective stating at around $25 for 5 units.  Check out the Hydrosoph website, the economical watering system for trees.

Simple water leak test

How do you test for water leaks in your home?  Simple.  Before you go to bed, turn off all your taps and water using appliances and write down your water meter reading.  Then when you wake up the next morning take another reading and see if the meter has moved.  Just make sure the family doesn’t flush if they use the loo during the night!

Thanks to Roger from Central Highlands Water for the tip.

Swap your old shower head for a new water saving one

South East Water in Victoria has a new for old replacement policy on shower heads.  Take your old water wasting showerhead along to a South East Water office and they’ll swap it for a new water saving shower head.  See the South East Water website for details.

Rainwater tank safety warning

Water tank experts have expressed concerns over the safety of some water tank instillations. Experts are suggesting that if rainwater tanks have not been installed on a solid base, the footing may become unstable causing safety issues around homes.  They have also suggested that plastics used in imported tanks may degrade quickly in harsh Australian conditions.  Full report in the Sunday Mail.

Sustainable Homes Day - make your home leaner and greener

The Australian and New Zealand Sustainable House Day (SHD) is being held this coming weekend, Sunday 9th September. SHD aims to educate home owner and builders on how they can create more sustainable homes by employing water saving and energy saving technologies.

On Sunday you will be able to take a tour of a sustainable home near you for the princely sum of $5 ($10 for families). So if you’re building a new home, or you’d like to green you current abode, check out the Sustainable Homes website for venue detail.