Here’s the second installment of a few tips on how to save water in your rental property, adapted from a Yarra Water leaflet, but picking out the highlights relating to renters…

This time, the best ways to utilise greywater.

• Greywater is waste water from showers, baths, spas, hand basins, washing machines, dishwashers and basically water used by another process that’s left over, which is generally most of it!
• Buckets are the most basic and easiest method of collecting gray water :
  • Either a bucket in the shower
  • A bucket in the sink when washing vegetables
  • Scooping out water from the hand basin
• Waste water from washing machines can also be collected into a bucket, or if you use a simple long pipe or diversion system it can be sent straight onto the lawn.

There are however, some considerations when using greywater…

• Don’t use water from the kitchen sink, it can contain fats and left over cleaning agents, unless of course you are sure the water is fine.
• Apply grey water directly to the base of plants, it can help reduce the survival rate of microbes.
• Always wash your hands after watering with grey water
• Use grey water within 24 hours of collection
• Don’t use grey water on sickly looking plants
• Unfortunately you can’t really use grey water on vegetables
• Try using grey water friendly detergents and cleaning agents to get the most garden friendly water you possibly can
• Don’t apply more grey water than needed, i.e. after rain.

We’re aware that not every one in rented property has a garden and we’ve concocted a few ideas of other things to do with grey water, but we haven’t had the chance to test them yet though, so watch this space…!

www.epa.vic.gov.au
www.ourwater.vic.gov.au

Here’s the first of a few tips on how to save water in your rental property, adapted from a Yarra

Water leaflet, but picking out the highlights relating to renters…

• If you have grass in your garden then run hosing from the water outlet pipe on your washing machine on to it to maintain a lovely slab of green turf. If you don’t have grass, then collect some of the water into a bucket which can easily be used on non-edible plants.
• Collect rainwater in buckets or tanks for future use.
  
• Group plants on their watering needs to make the most efficient use of water.
• Check the soil before watering, if it’s damp already then save that water!
• Most plants will not need watering as much as you think, try cutting back and keeping an eye on the plant.
  
• Pot plants and house plants need a lot of water, do you really need then?
• Remove weeds from beds, they’ll only use up water plants you actually want need.
• Water plant roots, not onto foliage.
• Larger plants and long grass can shield smaller plants from the sun.
  
• Use water crystals and wetting agents to keep the soil from drying out.
• Consider laying compost or mulch to keep soil damper.
• Plant native or drought resistant plants instead of water greedy European varities.
  

www.savewater.com.au
www.ourwater.vic.gov.au

There is a $30 rebate from your water supplier for products with a value of $100 or more from hardware stores or garden centres.