Toilets

Buy a top-rated dual flush toilet. Look for models with a four-star water efficiency rating. These can save the average home up to 35,000 litres per year. These toilets use just 4.5 litres for a full flush and 3 litres for a half flush. Older toilets use around 18 litres per flush.

If you are building a new home or doing a bathroom renovation, consider installing plumbing to flush your toilets using rainwater or greywater.

Leaking toilets

A continuously running toilet can waste up to 60,000 to 96,000 litres of water per year, yet toilet leaks often go unnoticed as the water trickles down the back of the bowl.

Follow these simple steps to check if your toilet has a leak:

• Remove the lid of your toilet cistern
• Place a few drops of food dye into the cistern
• Do not flush your toilet for 10-15 minutes
• If the dye has seeped down into the bowl when you return, then you know you have a leak

Toilet leaks are often a result of the rubber valve in the cistern deteriorating. You can contact a licensed plumber to fix this for you. It is important to check your toilet for leaks every few months so you can be sure it is not wasting any water.