South Australians pride themselves on their gardens, however water is easily wasted in the outside the home. Making smart choices when it comes to your water practices in the yard can cut your total household water consumption drastically.

Tips to save water outside the home:

• Water your garden early in the morning or late in the evening when it’s cool to avoid water evaporation – check water restrictions or permanent water conservation measures in your area.
• Especially in winter, let the rain do the watering for you!
• Use lawnmowing clippings as mulch to keep moisture in the ground and reduce evaporation by as much as 70%.
• Cover the swimming pool when it’s not in use. This helps to reduce evaporation and the need to refill it.
• Don’t cut your lawn too short (allow 2cm or more) as longer grass will grow deeper roots and therefore need less water … especially in the drier months.
• Choose local native varieties and other water-wise plants for your garden. This means less maintenance and watering. Also group plants with similar watering needs together.
• If you need a watering system, consider installing a drip irrigation system. It will cut wastage by making sure the water goes only where you need it to.
• It’s best to water the roots and soil around plants rather than spraying the leaves and flowers.
• Remove weeds as soon as they spring up, because weeds compete with your garden for water.
• Regularly check your outdoor taps, pipes and plumbing fixtures for leaks.
• Water your garden by hand with a can or trigger nozzle. It’s one of the best ways to make sure your plants get just the right amount of water. Make sure you check water restrictions or permanent water conservation measures in your area.
• Paths, patios and driveways must never be hosed. Use a broom, rake or outdoor blower or vacuum instead.
• Install a tap timer so you’ll never forget to turn off the hose (Make sure you only set the timer for the times/days that you are permitted to water). But make sure you don’t set the timer to over water your garden - and turn it off when there’s a likelihood of rain.