Sustainable water practices easy to swallow

National Water Week is celebrating its 20th birthday! From Sunday 20th to Saturday 26th October, this year's theme of "Liveable Communities" draws our attention to the many different ways we use water in daily life.

From turning off taps or installing rainwater and greywater systems in our homes to becoming a ‘friend’ of local waterways, rivers or lakes by keeping them clean, there are plenty of ways to preserve this precious commodity.

Hard to believe, but a slowly leaking tap can waste 20,000 litres of water a year! Ensuring taps are always turned off properly, using the dishwasher only when it’s full and having shorter showers are other ways to use less water in our homes.

A recurrent theme on the SaveWater blog concerns the way we drink water. Australians consume millions of bottles of water each year, costing over a thousand times the equivalent in tap water, using energy and resources and creating significant litter waste.

There are a number of high quality water purifiers on the market that are easy to install into any kitchen, providing clean and clear water at an overall fraction of the cost. Some use the ‘reverse osmosis’ technique, while others work with stones, charcoal and other filters; it really depends on what you want to remove from the tap water.

Keeping a few eco-friendly reusable bottles around the house to fill up and take with you when you head out to work or play can reduce your daily spendings, as well as the resulting tax on the environment.

With a little care and effort, all of these practices are easy additions to our weekly routine, and the results can be phenomenally positive.

For further information on the many initiatives going on around the country, water-friendly products, tips and competitions, take a look at savewater.com.au and awa.asn.au.