How much water do your appliances use?

Is your dishwasher water efficient? What about your washing machine? How much water does your shower use?

Specific information on how much water each of your appliances use should be set out in the appliance’s user manual. However, as a general guide, below are some indicative statistics from the Australian Government on how much water may be consumed by different appliances in a household.

• Showerheads

  • Standard style showerheads can use up to 20 litres/minute
  • A water efficient showerhead uses approximately 9 to 10 litres/minute

• Taps

  • Standard taps use from 15-18 litres/minute (eg for handwashing, brushing teeth, cooking and household cleaning)
  • Low-flow taps can get to as little as 2 litres/minute

• Toilets

  • A single-flush toilet can use around 12 litres per flush
  • A dual flush cistern can use around 3 litres for a half flush and around 6 litres for a full flush

• Washing machines

  • A modern front-loading machine uses approximately 50 litres on a normal cycle.
  • A top loader uses between 120-150 litres on a normal cycle.

• Dishwashers

  • Modern dishwashers use around 15 litres for a fast cycle and 20 litres for a normal cycle.

• Baths

  • A bath uses between 50 to 150 litres of water per fill, depending on the water level.

• Garden

  • A garden sprinkler uses approximately 1,000 litres of water an hour.

• Dripping taps or leaking toilets

  • A dripping tap can waste anywhere up to 200 litres of water a day.

By using more water-efficient products you could save considerable amounts of water and potentially lower your water bills.

For the source of much of this information and to read about water efficient appliances and fixtures, go to https://www.energy.gov.au/households/water-efficiency