What you can do

Living Sustainably

Waterwise

Waterwise gardening

60% of household water is used outdoors and much of which is wasted. There are simple things you can do outside your home to conserve water.

Composting, worm farms and mulch

On average, 40% of rubbish sent to landfill is organic waste such as food, garden or wood waste – also referred to as "green waste". Every tonne of organic waste diverted from landfill saves nearly a third of a tonne of greenhouse gas emissions.

The easiest way to deal with food waste is to set up a compost system or a worm farm – even if you live in a unit you can set up a small worm farm on a balcony. By diverting food waste to compost or worm farms you'll create great organic fertiliser which will give your garden a boost.

Organic materials improve the health of your garden and can be made from common items found around the home such as leaves and grass clippings. You can also buy mulch in the form of straw, wood and bark chips from your landscape supplier or supermarket. Mulch reduces water evaporation, so your garden will require less watering. Mulch also protects the ground from weeds, erosion and radical changes in temperature.

To find out more about composting, worm farms and mulch see our Easy Guides.

Plant selection and garden design

If you are starting a new garden or looking to revamp your existing one, think carefully about the layout of your garden and how to maximise water efficiency.

Select plants that suit the soil and garden conditions – many Australian native plants and some exotics from South Africa, California and the Mediterranean cope with very little water.

Tour your neighbourhood and find out what appears to grow well, requires little maintenance and watering. Also visit nurseries and research your options. Add maintenance needs to the decision-making process – how much time do you wish to spend maintaining your garden?

Group together plants with similar watering needs. Plant trees and windbreaks to give high water-use plants, such as vegetables and exotic shrubs (azaleas, camellias), more shade and reduce evaporation. Place "high demand" plants in a cooler part of the garden. Take advantage of water flow and run-off – plant at the bottom of slopes, or along the edges of natural watercourses and drains.

Use plants with strong, deep roots to help break up poor soils. Also aerate the soil to reduce run-off.

Help your plants to help themselves. Use mulch and plenty of it! It not only prevents water loss but also protects the ground from weeds, erosion and radical changes in temperature.

Water your garden less often but more thoroughly. This encourages deep root growth, making plants hardier, more drought tolerant and self-sufficient. Purchase and apply products that improve water penetration, moisture retention and reduce run-off such as water-saver crystals, powders and plant collars to keep water where the plant needs it most.

Lawns

Lawns can account for up to 90% of water used in the garden. To reduce water demands, choose lawn varieties that are slow growing, deep rooted and water efficient. Ask your local nursery about varieties that suit your climate and soil type. A suitable lawn won't need mowing as often and will be more drought tolerant.

Try planting a living mulch – a ground cover that fixes nitrogen to the soil and keeps moisture in. Also don't cut your lawn too short – leave it three centimetres or higher. Use lawn cuttings for mulch in your garden.

Water your lawn less frequently, give it a good soaking now and then. This encourages deeper roots and more drought tolerance.

Avoid planting lawns in inaccessible and impractical areas and avoid slopes where water run-off and wastage is likely.

Landscaping

A well-designed landscape can minimise the need to irrigate your garden. For example, incorporate swales to direct water to where it is most needed.

Minimise the area of impervious surfaces, such as paved areas, roofs and concrete driveways, and grade them to drain to vegetated areas. Consider how to best use permeable surfaces, such as garden beds, lawns, porous paving or pebble paths to both detain and collect water that would otherwise have been lost to stormwater.

Irrigation and watering systems

A well-designed irrigation and watering system can aid plant growth and reduce water waste. Before using your irrigation system check there are no local restrictions on water or irrigation system use.

Drip irrigation is the most efficient method of irrigating – it delivers water to the roots of individual plants and minimises evaporation and wind drift. Root delivery builds a level of drought tolerance as the plants establish deeper and stronger root systems.

When researching, designing or installing an irrigation system, consider the following:

Avoid poorly designed and inefficient automatic irrigation systems as they can use more water than hand-held hoses and sprinklers
Install soil moisture sensors – these trigger cut-off switches when it rains and adjust watering duration according to soil moisture level
Water-storing crystals can hold hundreds of times their weight in water and provide moisture for plant roots during dry periods
Humectants attract moisture from air spaces in the soil and are particularly effective in sandy soils

Visit Friends of the Earth and the Australian Greenhouse Office for more information.