Keeping water consumption under control and maintaining a good set of preventative maintenance and cleaning practices will keep home and business owners in control of the water they use and the money they spend on plumbing repairs. There are many things you can do to make sure that you use your bathroom in a way which minimises waste and prevents blockages.

Sink efficiency

The normal flow rate for bathroom taps is between 2 and 6 litres per minute. You can measure the efficiency of your taps by placing a large measuring cup or bucket in the sink and turning the tap on at full power.

Using an aerated tap can increase water efficiency greatly, and save you money on water. If a tap is leaky and cannot be repaired, it should be replaced as quickly as possible. A leaky tap can waste around 22 litres of water per day.

Showerheads and bathtubs

Instead of letting cold water drain away while waiting for it to heat up, try placing a bucket in the shower to catch this water so you can use it to water your garden or wash the car. Doing this, as well as making sure that you only shower for five minutes, can save about 600 litres of water every month (if your usual shower time is about seven minutes).

Remember that a hot bath is just as relaxing as a long shower, and much more water efficient.

You can measure the efficiency of your showerhead or bathtub sink by placing a three litre bucket below the stream and measuring the flow rate. If the flow rate is above ten litres per minute (roughly one bucket every 20 seconds) you should replace your showerhead or tap with a low-flow variety.

Toilets

As a toilet ages and is subject to wear and tear, the flapper which separates water flowing from the tank to the bowl can break or loosen. This will cause water to leak into the bowl. You may hear a hiss from your water tank, this is caused by a leak which is keeping the tank running constantly. This wastes an enormous amount of water. This flapper can be replaced without replacing the whole toilet, but you should be aware that new toilets are far more water efficient than older models and you will save money over time by installing a new model.