Taps, toilets and appliances are a great place to start saving water. 

• A slow leaking tap can waste up to 30 litres a day – that’s 73 bathtubs a year! Replacing washers is a simple fix that saves water.
• School drinking taps often send water straight down the drain. Place buckets underneath to catch the runoff and use it on school gardens.
• If your school has a washing machine, run it only with a full load to make each wash count.
• Only run the dishwasher when it’s full, on ECO mode is even better.
• Flushing toilets is often the biggest water user in schools. On dual-flush toilets, use the half flush for pee and paper, and the full flush for solids.

Smart garden design can help schools use water more efficiently and keep outdoor spaces healthy all year round. 

Here are some water-wise ideas to consider: 

• Install drip irrigation to deliver water directly to plant roots at a rate the soil can absorb. It’s affordable, efficient, and easy to set up.
• Plant windbreaks to reduce evaporation by shielding gardens from drying winds.
• Choose the right plants. Many native Australian species thrive with minimal watering. Your local indigenous nursery can help with plant selection.
• Lawns use a lot of water. Hardy turf varieties are drought-tolerant once established, reducing the demand for water.
• Permeable paving and surfaces allows water to soak into the ground instead of running off into stormwater drains.
• Install rainwater tanks to capture rainwater for use on gardens and school grounds.
• Be generous with mulch. Mulching garden beds reduces evaporation, nourishes soil, and helps control weeds.

The Victorian Government's Permanent Water Saving Rules were introduced in 2011 and are always in place to help manage our water efficiently. These rules are uniform across Victoria and are included in each water corporation's permanent water saving plan. 

Learn about the rules by visiting Permanent Water Saving Rules.

The Water Watchers are a squad of crusaders with a mission to watch over our planet’s precious water supply and remind Earthlings to turn their taps off. 

This free curriculum linked classroom incursion program teaches primary school students about where water comes from, how people consume it, and why we all have a role to play in saving it. 

Visit our Water Watchers website to learn more or book an incursion for your school.