As summer starts, community asked to help beat the heat and Love Water

Summer is here! And Hunter Water is calling for the Lower Hunter community to come together and save water for the future.

With the Bureau of Meteorology formally declaring El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, and following an unusually warm and dry Spring, now is the time for the community to continue to make Smart Water Choices.

Hunter Water Managing Director, Darren Cleary, noted storages are at 82.9% but that our water levels drop faster than most other major Australian urban centres during dry periods because of shallow water storages and high evaporation rates.  

"As we turn the calendar over to December, it's the perfect opportunity to remind ourselves of positive water conservation behaviours. 

"Smart water choices are simple, everyday actions that we can all do to save water in our homes. Sensible water-saving measures like only watering outdoors with a trigger nozzle and only doing this before 10am or after 4pm. Sweeping hard surfaces instead of hosing will also help our water supply last longer. 

"The Lower Hunter community has shown its value for water. By working together during this hot, dry summer we can ensure we conserve our most precious resource," said Mr Cleary. 

There are plenty of other simple ways to love water, including inside the home. 

"Reducing your shower time is one of the easiest and most effective ways to save water in your home, with showers making up more than a third of our daily water usage. Every minute less is a bucket of water, so we recommend showering for 4 minutes or the length of your favourite song.

"Other ways to make significant water savings are turning off the tap when you brush your teeth, waiting for a full load to use the dishwasher and washing machine or fixing dripping taps and leaking toilets. A few drips from a tap might not seem like much, but over a few days or months, it's easy to see how precious those few drops are. 

"Summer is a time for fun but also an important time to work together and love water. If we all do our bit, and not become complacent, saving water now will help delay the onset of restrictions," said Mr Cleary. 

For more information on how you can make smart water choices, visit www.hunterwater.com.au/smartchoices