Residents in the Rockhampton Region are being reminded of the importance of keeping an eye on our water consumption as the mercury begins to rise.
Chair of Council’s Water Committee, Councillor Neil Fisher, said that as we enter the warmer months of the year now was a good time to think about our water usage.
“The Rockhampton Region is a drought affected area, so it’s vital that we all do what we can to ensure that precious resource called water is looked after.
“Residents will know that we already have Level 2 water restrictions up at Mount Morgan, and the community up there is doing a wonderful job of being waterwise.
“There are many ways we can reduce our consumption, so here are some questions to think about.
“We use more water in our bathrooms than anywhere else inside the house, with showers accounting for nearly a quarter of household water use. Could you knock two minutes off your shower time? You could save around 40 litres of water per shower if you do!
“When it comes to laundry, are you using the machine almost every day? Could you do bigger loads less frequently instead?
“If you’re using water in the kitchen to rinse vegetables or in cooking, could you then reuse it to water your garden?
“Speaking of the garden could you have more waterwise plants which thrive in drier environments, or use mulch regularly to help retain moisture? It’s also important to avoid watering in the heat of the day and it’s better to water in the morning rather than in the evening.
“As it gets hotter we will all want plenty of glasses of cold refreshing water. It makes such a difference to keep a jug of cold water in the fridge – running the tap until it’s cool can waste up to 15 litres a minute!
“And, perhaps most importantly, are you looking closely at your water bill? Higher than usual bills could be a sign of leaks. A dripping tap can waste 9,000 litres a year, while a visibly leaking toilet can waste more than 60,000 litres.
“Here in CQ we know how important and valuable water is – let’s look after it together.”
