The children at the Riverbreeze centre have started using buckets to collect the water from their new hand-washing troughs.

"They then use it to water our very thirsty gardens. Every drop counts," said Crystal Majeski from TG's.

Recently, Australia Pro Plumbing and HLW Projects installed the new troughs in the centre's preschool and boaties bathrooms.

"We are continuing to embed water awareness and sustainability into our curriculum and our staff are guiding the children in what to do," added Crystal.

"The children love the upgrade, and they are really enjoying the whole concept of saving the water and using it in the garden. We have a lot of semi-rural families who have their own stories about how they are saving water in the home," she said.

1. Water-audit your washing machine

Your choice of washing machine can waste hundreds of thousands of litres over a lifetime.

If you're stuck with a water wasting machine, you can limit the damage by only running full loads or look for an eco-setting.

2. Use your dishwasher instead of washing up in the sink

The average water consumption of dishwashers is approximately 13 litres per wash, whereas studies have shown hand washing the equivalent of a fully loaded dishwasher can use up to as much as 100 litres.

Doing the dishes: A dishwasher can not only save arguments about who has to wash the dishes, but also save you money on your water bill.

3. Get toilet (re)trained

Every time you flush, you can use up to nine litres of water, depending on the efficiency of your toilet.

The difference between that full flush and half flush button can be thousands of litres per year.

Many of us simply use the full flush out of habit. Challenge yourself and your household to try the half flush - you'll likely find it's just as effective.

4. Take a shorter shower

Cut your shower time in half. Current shower heads typically pump out six-to-nine litres a minute.

"Taking a shorter shower is an obvious water-saving tip, but the difference you can make depends hugely on your shower head," she said.

Cutting your shower down from eight minutes to four minutes could save around 250 litres per week, or even more if you have a more efficient shower head.

5. Re-use and recycle

Just stop your washing machine before it drains the water and siphon it out into a bucket using a plastic tube. If you have a condenser or heat pump dryer you can use the water collected when drying your laundry to water the plants.

You can also use a bucket to collect the running water while your shower warms up. And in the kitchen, don't pour the water leftover from cooking pasta, eggs or vegetables down the drain - use it to water your pot plants. Every little bit helps.

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