Water conservation

When we take more than we need from our water network this puts pressure on the health of our water supply, and increases costs to Council in supplying water to our city, which ends up increasing the rates we pay as a city.

In Upper Hutt, domestic water consumption is currently averaging 215 litres per person per day, and around one third of the water each person uses on a daily basis is wasted. Understanding where all of our household water gets used helps us to save water in the right places. 

Ways to save water

There are simple things you can do every day to help our city conserve water.

Saving water inside the home

  • Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth or shaving, a running tap wastes 6 litres of water a minute.
  • Put a 1.5 or 2 litre plastic bottle in your single flush toilet cistern, save up to 30 litres per day.
  • Fix dripping taps or leaking toilet cisterns, save as much as 100 litres a day.
  • Take a shorter shower, a double whammy that saves water and energy.
  • Install a water efficient shower head, this could save you hundreds of dollars on your hot water bills.
  • Install a dual flush toilet cistern, about a quarter of all the clean, drinkable water we use in our homes is flushed down the toilet.
  • Run washing machines and dishwashers with a full load and on their economy setting, another double whammy that saves water and energy.
  • Look for and buy AAA water conservation rating appliances.
  • During summer, keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge, saves running water waiting for it to turn cold.
  • Put a plug in the sink when washing vegetables, save up to 6 litres per minute.
  • Install tap aerators, reduce the flow by 50% without reducing pressure.

Saving water in the garden

  • Make sure you are following our garden watering restrictions, which apply year-round.
  • Buy a trigger gun attachment for your hose, this cheap device will prevent water wastage when using the hose.
  • Choose plants and grass that need less water, native plants often do better than exotics and attract wonderful native birds and will save you thousands of litres per week in watering.
  • Install/use a drip system, this will help save you money and prevent water loss through evaporation.
  • Let your grass grow longer and accept it may not be as green over summer.
  • Longer blades of grass promote deeper roots and shade the ground better.
  • Wash the car less, use a bucket instead of the hose and wash it on the lawn and water it at the same time.
  • Consider rain water collection tanks to water your garden. Rain water is free and abundant, capturing some of this water for use will significantly reduce your total water consumption.
  • Consider installing a grey water diverter and filter. A grey water system uses your waste water to irrigate your garden. Note: Grey water is waste water that is not contaminated with human faecal waste i.e. everything that goes down the drain expect the toilet and can safely be re-used on your garden. Grey water is not recommended for food growing gardens.

What is Council doing?

At Council we make every effort to water our own gardens and grounds responsibly. We also draw on bore water at Trentham to irrigate our sports fields which alleviates demand on the treated supply. However, it’s not just enough for the council to conserve water – it is important that we all use water wisely to ensure that there continues to be enough for everyone.

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