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Drought Proof Your Home

Even with the recent rainfall in many areas of Australia, water conservation is still a major concern for every household. However, there are some great ways that you can drought proof your home, without having to make sacrifices in your quality of living.

Use Rainwater

Rainwater collected from your roof and stored in tanks is an excellent way to gain “free” water for use in the garden and possibly even the home. Tanks may be plastic, steel, concrete or bladders and come in many shapes and sizes. The huge range of shapes and materials means that it is easy to incorporate a water tank into your garden without it looking out of place. Remember to choose a tank that is the right size for your needs, especially during periods of lesser rainfall.

Store and Use Grey Water

Grey water is a large portion of the home’s waste water and it can be either light grey water – from the shower, bathroom sink, and laundry, or dark grey water – from the kitchen. A licensed plumber needs to perform any work that involves alteration to a sewer. You may need to get permission from the local water authority if you want to divert grey water away from the sewer system. Remember that each state has different regulations that govern the storage and use of grey water. Simple diverter systems divert the grey water without any treatment. Divert and treat systems treat the water in order to improve the end quality of the water. Untreated grey water is usually only allowed to be used for sub surface garden irrigation while treated grey water can be used in most irrigation systems and for flushing toilets.

Add Organic Material and Water Saving Granules to the Soil

Adding body to your soil, especially if it is sandy, will increase its water storage capacity and keep the moisture available to the plant for longer. Organic materials such as compost, blood and bone and mushroom compost all add nutrients to the soil as well as improve the soil’s water holding capacity. Water saving granules dug through the soil take on several times their own weight in water and release it slowly, thus holding precious moisture in the soil and preventing it from being lost through evaporation.

Use Mulch in the Garden

Use of any type of mulch in the garden will keep the soil cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It will minimise evaporation, and therefore minimise water loss. Mulch protects the surface roots of plants from the sun as well as protects the soil from wind and water erosion.

Consider the Lawn

Try using drought tolerant lawns in the garden such as soft leaf buffalo, soft leaf couches, tall fescue, and kikuyu. Synthetic turf has also come a long way and now looks surprisingly realistic. It has the advantage of being practically zero maintenance as it does not require mowing, watering, or weeding.

Design the Garden Appropriately

How you design your garden can make a difference. Group plants of similar water requirements together. Use taller, hardier plants to protect smaller, more delicate plants. Where possible, use drought tolerant plants in your garden. Most plants can be taught to flourish on less water by reducing their watering gradually over time

Other Tips to Drought Proof Your Home

Other tips that can help you drought proof your home include:

• install water restrictors and water efficient showerheads
• sweep pathways, don’t hose them down
• wash cars on the lawn
• use front loading washing machines
• use a drip irrigation system in the garden
• understand the breezes and design the cross ventilation in your home to suit
• orient your home correctly, and protect the west aspect of the home