The bucket brigade, a month on.

Melbournians, including me, have embraced using plastic buckets as a really easy way to save water (eg. first flow in the shower). In fact their has been a massive 24% reduction in water usage for january 2007 (compared with the same time last year) in a year when January has been significnatly hotter and drier than average. So water restrictions are working and most people are acting responsibly. We even have a website to monitor weekly water usage now.

Well done folks.

Saving the first flow water

A very common (and popular) way to save water is collect those first 2 or 3 litres of flow while you are waiting for the shower to warm up. All you have to go is keep a plastic bucket on the side of your shower and move it under the shower head as you start the water. Once you have the right temperature slide it out of the way as yiou get under the shower.

This water has a big advanage over other grey water collections in that it is not contaiminated with washed off dirt or soap.