Today is the start of National Water week. A week where everyone is made more aware of how to use and save water in and around your home.

Rous County Council has launched an interactive online home water calculator for residents seeking to know more about their town drinking water consumption.

Rous County Council’s General Manager, Phillip Rudd says, “there is a need within our community for greater awareness of individual water use, something particularly evident during and after the recent drought.” “In response, Rous County Council has launched the home water calculator, a purpose-built tool to empower individuals with data about their own water use in various areas in and around their homes,” he says.

The home water calculator is a free and easy to use online tool that allows people to better understand their water use without having to measure every device in the home. It is useful for residents who may not see a water bill or who are unaware of their own water use including renters or residents of medium and high-density dwellings.

For residents who receive a quarterly water bill, they may be able to identify problem leaks by using the calculator and comparing their usage to their bill and water meter reads. “Better understanding of your daily consumption is the first step in saving water and reducing demand on our town drinking water supply,” Mr Rudd explains.

Rous County Council has released the home water calculator as part of a catalogue of water saving resources, factsheets, and short videos covering various easy-to-action ways to save water in each area of the home.

The resources have been launched by Rous County Council in partnership with Smart Approved WaterMark’s Smart Water Advice, a leading industry initiative. They can be accessed by visiting www.rous.nsw.gov.au/yourhome.

When accessing these resources, Rous County Council encourages the community to take the 160 Litre Challenge - a water saving challenge to reduce your use to less than 160 litres per person per day.

The launch of these resources coincides with National Water Week (19 – 25 October). The theme this year is Reimagining our Water Future. 

“This theme is particularly relevant for our Northern Rivers community,” Mr Rudd highlights. 

“The Future Water Project 2060 is investigating options for the future water supply of our region. Councillors are meeting later this year to review community comments received about the project during the public exhibition period. This work emphasises the need for continued focus and commitment to demand management.” 

To understand your water consumption and access the free home water calculator visit www.rous.nsw.gov.au/watercalculator.