The most extreme peaks in water use happen during summer, and are largely caused by high levels of garden watering on top of normal demand for 'indoor' water use.

A garden hose can easily deliver 20 litres of water every minute; that's equivalent to a bath-full of water every five minutes or 12 per hour.

 

We can be water-efficient outdoors just by changing our behaviour a little. A garden hose sprays 1000 litres an hour; use a trigger nozzle and you won’t waste water while you’re moving the hose around.

 

Good garden design can cut your water use by half. Not just for new gardens; there’s a lot you can do to make your existing garden more water-efficient. You’ll find a water smart garden also looks good and makes the most of your space.

It’s easy to save water around the yard as well. Sweep paths with a broom, not your hose. Don’t empty your pool in winter; you can clean the water in time for summer. Ask your pool maintenance people for advice. Wash your car on the lawn if you can. Give it a quick spray (or use a bucket if water restrictions are in force) then use a sponge and bucket of soapy water to wash each panel. Briefly spray to rinse, and then move onto the next panel. Finally wipe the car dry with a cloth. Done – and you’ve saved around 400 litres.

 

6 easy ways to use less water for a great garden

 

1. Get tough on lawns.

Toughen up your lawn by watering less often, and keep the grass 3cm high to shade the soil and protect the roots. An area of lawn generally needs more water than the same area of garden bed. So cut back on lawn and put in more beds if you can. If you have a lawn area that slopes down onto paving, water will run off and be wasted - put in a garden bed instead or rockeries if it’s really steep.

2. Choose the right plants.

Some parts of your garden are damp and shady, others hot and exposed; choose your plants to match and they’ll grow better and use less water. Group your plants into high and low water-users so you don’t waste water on plants that don’t need it. Larger trees and plants with hard leaves may scarcely need watering at all.

3. Use plenty of mulch.

 

Using mulch is an easy, cheap way to save water. A 75mm layer of mulch on garden beds can cut the amount of water lost through evaporation by over 70%. It can help keep weeds away too. Use good compost mulch and you’ll also be adding nutrients to the soil. Leave a space around trunks and stems to avoid fungal disease.

4. Make your own compost.

If you have enough of a garden, make compost from vegetable peelings, leaves, grass clippings and weeds. Compost is a great way to improve soil; it helps to hold water and provides lots of nutrients. Ask your local council about compost bins and worm farms – they may offer rebates.

5. Water early in the morning.

Ideally before 8am. Or in the cool of the evening. Water less often, but more thoroughly and your plants will extend their roots deeper making them hardier and less thirsty.

6. Consider drip irrigation.

It’s the most efficient watering method – using flexible piping to slowly drip water into the soil at the base of plants. It takes 15 minutes to drip 1 litre into the soil, compared to 5 seconds to spray 1 litre by hose.  Plus very little water is wasted through wind, evaporation, run-off or overspray. 

Further Information 

Metrowater has an informative page full of tips for saving water in the garden.