Tips from the ARC to save water in and around the home:
* Raise the height of your lawnmower - a higher cut encourages grass roots to grow deeper and shades the root systems, which helps the soil to hold more moisture.
* Do not over-water the lawn: twice a week in
summer is enough.
* Don't hose down your driveway or paved areas - use a broom.
* Repair leaky taps and pipes. Fixing just one leaking tap could save up to 5000 litres (and $16.50) a month, says Metrowater.
* In the garden, position sprinklers so water reaches the target and do not forget to turn them off. Use the kitchen timer to remind yourself.
* Wash vegetables in a bowl, turn the tap off when brushing your teeth, wash the dishes once a day and limit laundry to full loads.
* People often wash their cars on driveways. This means the wastewater, dirt, grease, oil and cleaning agents end up in streams or estuaries, where they help to reduce oxygen levels and poisons animals and plants. The solution? Wash the car on the lawn so the wastewater soaks into the ground. Or use a properly equipped car-washing facility. And don't wash it so often.
Metrowater, the water and wastewater company 100 per cent owned by Auckland City, buys water from Watercare Services, owner and operator of the region's dams and large water mains. Almost 60 per cent of your bill goes to Watercare.
Metrowater has set the following water charges: Service charge $30 a year for water and $30 a year for wasterwater. The Watercare charge is 50c per 1000 litres for water and $1.84 per 1000 litres for wastewater. The Metrowater network charge is 66c per 1000 litres for water and 93c per 1000 litres for wastewater.
* For more details visit the Metrowater website.
