Shower
Modern 4-star water efficient showerheads use no more than 6 litres of water per minute whilst still providing great performance. Older style showerheads can use up to 20 litres per minute.
Some quick ways to use water efficiently in the shower
- Try to reduce the time you spend showering by using a shower timer. You can get sand timers and electronic timers. Alternatively just choose your favourite 4-minute song from this playlist.
- Shave your legs before taking a shower, then use the shower water to rinse off.
- Use a bucket to collect water while waiting for the shower to get hot. You can use this excess water to water your plants.
- Replace your showerhead with a 4 star rated WELS showerhead. These are designed with performance in mind to ensure you still enjoy a powerful shower that uses water and energy efficiently.
- Consider an instantaneous water heater if your existing water heater is located some distance to the bathroom. Talk to a plumber first to make sure it will work adequately with your showerhead.
- Make sure your hot water system thermostat is not set too high. Adding cold water to reduce the temperature of very hot water is wasteful.
Choose a top rated showerhead
Before buying a new showerhead, check the manufacturer’s water efficiency labels. Australia’s Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme allows consumers to compare the water efficiency of different products using a star rating system. By buying more water efficient products you can save money on water and electricity bills and help the environment!
Learn how to change your showerhead!
Using water efficiently in the shower not only saves water, but uses less energy. So you’ll not only save money on both bills, but also reduce your impact on the environment.
It’s easy to change to a new shower head yourself. You’ll need a cloth, an adjustable spanner or multi tool, steel wool and Teflon tape; the tape usually comes with a new shower head.
