How to prepare your home and garden for an El Niño summer

 As the rain continues to lash down it may not seem like we’re heading towards a drought-filled summer, but the weather forecasters are filled with news of a coming El Niño weather pattern in which droughts are a real possibility for many parts of New Zealand.

So how might you prepare for warmer, drier times?

Here are five tips from Andrew Olsen, co-founder of Watersmart, an innovative company established
in 2017 to help Kiwi property owners, developers and builders to capture, reuse, recycle and protect water on site, manufacturing, installing and servicing systems that help people to realise the true value of water.

1. Bucket in the shower – while your shower is warming up, collect the cold water in a bucket, then use this water to water your plants.
   
   
2.   If it’s yellow, let it mellow – if it’s brown, flush it down! The average toilet uses 7 litres per flush. Save water by  only flushing when necessary.
   
   
3.  Switch off – save 28 litres of water per person per week by turning the tap off when brushing your teeth. Save a similar amount by doing the same when shaving!   
   
   
4.  Full loads only – only run your washing machine and/or dishwasher when it is full. Waiting until the machine is full not only saves water but also time putting clean items away too.
   
   
5.   Shorter showers – save 12 litres of water per minute you shave off your regular shower time. A family of four can save 672 litres of water per week if everyone reduced their shower by two minutes.

You might also consider installing Hydraloop® the world’s 1st in-home water-recycling system, which is being distributed by WaterSmart, the exclusive New Zealand importer and distributor.

Hydraloop® is set to change the way people use water in New Zealand. It uses water twice, reducing total in-home water consumption by up to 45 per cent. 

It does this by recycling and cleaning water from showers, baths, and washing machines, using a revolutionary, patented six-step process. 

The treated water can then be used again for toilet flushing, washing machines, garden irrigation, and topping up swimming pools, providing clean, safe, and disinfected water that meets the highest international standards for commercial and residential uses. 

See video of how Hydraloop works HERE:

The first Hydraloop unit has just been installed in Piha, with another soon to follow in Glendowie. WaterSmart also has plans in progress for residential and commercial installations around the country. 

Andrew Olsen says: “Why are we flushing our toilets with drinking water?
It’s crazy. Hydraloop means we can use water twice. It is a game-changer for our country, paving the way for mass water recycling in New Zealand. At WaterSmart we are all about enabling people to realise the true value of water, our most precious taonga. We’re really excited to bring Hydraloop into New Zealand, as it will build our country’s resilience against effects of climate change, helping to future-proof us against droughts and dry seasons.”