Water Conservation

Watch the Drops

Your area's water conservation status is updated regularly on our Alerts listings on the website landing page:

Watch the Drops - March 2024 update - Central Otago District Council (codc.govt.nz)

The three main categories are:

• Green - use water wisely.
• Orange - conserve water.
• Red - restrict water use.

Help us and help yourselves by taking note of your conservation status and acting accordingly.

Why Save Water?

Why with a river the size of the Clutha flowing through our district, do we need to save water?

While there is not necessarily a water shortage in the district, it costs money to treat and distribute water for domestic consumption. Saving water is good for our pockets and good for the environment.

As ratepayers we pay for both the water we use and the infrastructure needed to treat and pipe that water.

Reduced water use means lower total water production and wastewater treatment costs. Using only the water we actually need not only saves money now it also puts off the need for more infrastructure such as dams and reservoirs, pipelines, and water treatment plants and even the need to find new water sources to service a growing demand.

Saving water also helps reduce wastewater treatment costs. The water used around your home including your washing machine, bathrooms and toilets, is discharged to the sewer for treatment and disposal at the wastewater treatment plant. Saving water also helps delay the need to increase wastewater treatment plant capacity and reduces the volume of wastewater treated and discharged into the rivers and waterways.

• Pumping water from the source, treating it and piping it to your door is expensive. If we all use less water we can lower the cost of providing it.
• Excessive summer water use means the water supply system has to work hard to keep up with demand. In some places excessive use can affect availability for fire fighting.

Every Drop Counts

When it comes to conserving water, every drop counts. You can do your bit to help save water by:

• Reporting leaks from hydrants, a toby (your main water shut-off valve) or anywhere else
• Fixing leaking taps, toilets, showerheads and other water-using devices around your home or business.
• Learn how to use your meter to check for water leaks. Most are easy to detect and repair with basic know-how and the right tools.

For water saving tips around your home, school or workplace check out the sections below.

There are many ways to save water around your home. Much of the water we use is wasted and a few small changes can help save water and we don't mean by going short or without water. Try these:

• Singing shorter songs in the shower: every minute that you don't spend in the shower saves you seven litres of water. Reduce your shower by one minute, and you'll save about 2500 litres of water a year.
• Turning off the tap when brushing teeth or shaving: a running tap wastes 10 litres per minute.
• Plug that sink when you're preparing vegetables. It'll save you up to 10 litres per minute.
• No half measures in the kitchen or laundry: a full load of dishes or laundry uses less water and power than two half loads.
• A scrape will do! Today's modern dishwashers and detergent mean there's no need to pre-rinse, just scrape and pop the dishes in the machine - give it a go, you might be surprised by the results.

Other things you can do include:

Check for leaks

Leaking taps, *toilets, showerheads and other water-using devices are major wasters of water. Just one leaking tap can waste 2000 litres per month and increase your water bill unnecessarily. Most leaks are easy to detect and easy to repair with basic know-how and the right tools. Use your water meter to check for leaks.

*Toilet tip: Check for leaks in your toilet by adding a few drops of food colouring to the water in your toilet cistern. Then, after waiting 15 minutes, you can check if the water in the bowl has any of the colour in it (smartwater.org.nz).

Use Water saving devices

There are many water saving devices you can buy that reduce your water use - flow regulators (to reduce the flow of water), dual flush toilets and water displacement devices that go in the cistern (gizmos') for single flush toilets. Many devices aren't very expensive.

Use water wise appliances

Shop with the stars! Save water and money in the long run by choosing water wise appliances. Look for the stars. The more stars on the label the more water efficient the appliance. So if you're replacing an old washing machine or toilet choose models with four stars or more. More information about water efficiency.

Save Water at School

Being water wise in the garden and outside your home or business means we reduce the amount of high quality drinking water used on lawns, plants and pavements. Sprinklers are the biggest cause of unnecessary water usage as the water often goes where it is not needed and it's easy to over water.

Water wise tips in the garden and outside

• It's a lawn not a lake! Even in the height of summer, more water is not necessarily better
• If the grass springs back when you walk on it, there's no need to water.
• Install a rain barrel: rainwater is rich in natural minerals and plants love it. A rain barrel is a great way to cheer up your plants and keep your water bill down.
• Use a bucket to wash your car. This uses up to 125 litres less water than a hosepipe does.
• Simple mulch for your garden reduces the water that evaporates by up to 70 per cent and means less time spent watering.
• Water in the early morning or evening to reduce water lost to evaporation.
• Sweep paths and drive ways instead of washing them.
• Use a watering can or a hose with a hand-held trigger to minimise wastage and direct water only where needed.