How much water do you use?
Published 1 year, 6 months ago in My life.After reading an article in today’s paper about individual daily use of water I am interested in what people are really using. Not the average numbers on the water bill but of real individual’s family’s or household’s level of water use.
We are a family of 4, with two adults, a five year old and a two year old. We have been averaging 300 litres of water per day for the past two or three water bills. We have a large garden - no that is not true - we have a large yard and one day hope to have a large garden! At this stage most of our water use would be in the house. We water the tree ferns and potted plants occasionally and most often with the bath water.
Someone I work with is in a family of three, all adults, and they use about 1200 litres a day, but maintain a large garden.
I would love to hear from any of you about how much water you use, what your circumstances are and if you are for or against individual water use targets - the article suggested 140 litres per day but it is certainly doesn’t seem a track the government wants to go down at this stage.
11 Responses to “How much water do you use?”
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It’s just my wife and I with a German Shepard. We also have a pool but we don’t top it up anymore because of the restrictions. Compared to this time last year our water usage has dropped from 830 to 533. Is that gallons or litres? It doesn’t say on the bill. 533 litres is too small for a quarter yearly bill yeh? I can’t work it out lol.
Anyway we both shower once a day with a bucket in the shower for the garden. This is hte only water we give the garden. We do one load of washing once a week and wash the dishes probably twice a week, by hand. So we don’t use much at all I don’t think.
I think that entitles me to be able to wash my car at home once a week with a Karcha yeh?
Do you think it would work if each household were limited to a certain amount of water each week to use at their own peril? For example after using water for all the necessary things like showers and washing clothes etc, any spare can be used on whatever you like? Some people would rather maintain their pool rather than their garden. Some may prefer to maintain their car (like me!) rather than maintain their garden etc. Do you think that would work?
At the moment we are limited to what we can water not by our own preferences but by the government or the council. I don’t have a garden that needs watering so why give me the ability to water it and then make me drive around spreading dirt in a filthy car?
We’re a family of 3, largish garden. Currently we’re averaging 482litres per day. I reuse rinse water from the wash to fill the machine for the next load. I have grey water diverters for both the shower/bath & laudry water, straight onto the garden. Your doing really well to average 300litres a day Gadfly, how are you doing it
We are a family of four (2 adults, one teenager and one baby) and we use just over what our bill says 2 people should use.
We are a family of two adults and have just got our bill, 190 Litres a day. thats down from 230 a day in December last year. We have a large garden, lots of flowers, many natives, no lawn just wild grass and weeds, a veggie patch and 8 fruit trees. I collect rain water off the back and front veranda and trailer, and store it in plastic garbage bins. Just picked the last of a crop of pears better than you can buy in the shops, and the lemon, orange and grapefruit won’t stop fruiting.
Water from the washing machine is all we save and it goes on the trees and shrubs.
Two people are supposed to limit it to 480 a day so we are doing pretty well. Oh and half a bucket of rain water cleans two cars.
Our water bill went down 50 per cent and I was a bit shocked. We didn’t think we were so conservative. I insist on a spa bath. There’s nothing worse not relaxing and doing what you love because of restrictions. Is having a spa bath illegal?
i think having a spa bath is ok but is it ok to put a bunny in it. i dont think they can swim, well not very well.
I think we should kick Coolbunny out of the spa bath. That’s a bit of a luxury. How about hanging out at a leisure centre instead and saving on water?
I want my spa bath at home. How else can I get any peace and quiet?
My fair share unlike certain refrigerated rabbit-based lifeforms.
In my whiskey - three drops, no more !
Mm - I like a splash in my gin now and then too! If that was all we used the earth would thank us but maybe not our livers! Grumpyoldman you are an inspiration - I need to turn our “yard” into the oasis you are describing! I can never get over how much better the home grown produce my mum shares with us is than the store bought variety. jadmorffier I think you are right - if we had an allowance of water that was reasonable and we were able to cut back in other ways we should be able to choose some of our uses - though no-one should be able to splash it about on the concrete!! I always miss my watering morning and wish I could choose to do it another day which would work better. I need to get into the grey water use - all our plumbing is under the house so I need professional help!!
I’m not sure why we are so low vivavoce - maybe it is the lack of bathing!! No - I am sure the bath sharing of the small ones and the front loading washer helps a lot.
I think I need some of those rain water tank thingies - wish they were cheaper!!