How Much Water Do You Use?
The first step in achieving Target 155 is working out how much water you are currently using.
This can be as easy as looking at your latest bill from your water retailer. Each retailer includes your average daily household use on the bill. Just divide this figure by the number of people in your household to get the average water use per person per day.
We recommend that you read your meter once per week at about the same time. At the end of each week, calculate your water use and track your savings. To calculate your water use:
| Weekly water use |
Meter reading (week 1) – Meter reading (start) |
|---|---|
| Number of people |
How many people live in your house? |
| Daily per person water use | Weekly water use ÷ Number of people ÷ 7 days |
| How much I need to save |
Daily per person water use - 155 L/person/day |
How to calculate your water usage (video)
How to read your water meter
Read all of the numbers from left to right regardless of their colour.
There are many different types of meters in use across Melbourne – if you have difficulty reading your meter, contact your water retailer for assistance or refer to their website for more information: City West Water (131 691); South East Water (131 867); or Yarra Valley Water (131 721).
| If your meter looks like this... |
How to read your meter... |
|---|---|
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(A) Black numbers on a white background register kilolitres. (B) White numbers on red background register hundreds of litres, tens of litres, litres, and if there is a fourth red dial, tenths of litres. |
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(A) Black numbers on white background (4 digits) register kilolitres. (B) 'Tell tale'. Detects small usage and leaks. (C) Four 'clock' dials at bottom of meter register, starting from right, hundreds of litres, tens of litres, litres and tenths of litres. |
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(A) Black numbers on white background register kilolitres. Red numbers on white background register hundreds of litres, tens of litres, and litres. (B) 'Tell tale'. Detects small usage and leaks. Twenty revolutions per litre. |
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(A) White numbers on black background register kilolitres. (B) Red numbers on black background register hundreds of litres and tens of litres. |
Don't have your own meter or bill?
If you don't have a water meter or your own water bill (if you live in an block of apartments, for example), you can calculate your water consumption using a water use calculator or diary. This is available from your water retailer:
Where is residential water used?
In a typical suburban home, about 51% of all water is used in the bathroom, 22% is used in the laundry, 19% is used in the garden and 8% in the kitchen.
Typical breakdown of water use in a new four-person home with garden
This means that when you need to make savings, the best place to start is often in the bathroom, followed by the laundry. More info about saving water indoors
Did you know?
- A 7 minute shower with an inefficient showerhead uses up to 98 litres of water
- A 4 minute shower with a water efficient showerhead uses about 36 litres of water
- A full load of washing uses anywhere between 70 and 140 litres of water
- A typical dishwasher uses about 15-20 litres of water
- An old single flush toilet can use up to 11 litres every flush
- A water efficient half flush can use as little as 3 litres each time
When you think about how you use water every day, it’s easy to see how the litres quickly add up.