Water is an essential part of life and maintaining a healthy environment. You can help save water by becoming more water wise and following simple Water Wise Guidelines set out by Sydney Water.

Being water efficient in the home requires both smart behaviours and technologies. Some plumbing products have their water efficiency rating displayed on a label. No stars mean the product has poor water efficiency, while 6 stars shows the product is amongst the most efficient.

More information

• For more information about saving water visit the Sydney Water website.
• For more information about the Water Wise Guidelines visit the Sydney Water website.
• For more information about the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme visit the Australian Government’s Water Rating website.

Spend less on your energy bills without compromising on comfort, by making your home more energy efficient. Energy efficiency simply means using less energy to provide the same service or achieve the same result. It's about doing things smarter, or with improved technology, with no drop in service or your comfort. You use less energy as well as save money and reduce your impact on the environment.

Easy tips to save power around your home

Did you know that the average NSW home produces 8,000 kilograms of carbon pollution every year? There are simple steps you can take around your home to lower your power bills and reduce your impact on our environment.

In the Kitchen

• Only use the dishwasher when it is full, use the energy-saving setting and let dishes air-dry.
• Cook with the microwave instead of the stove or oven – a microwave uses less power.
• Set your fridge at 3°C to 4°C and your freezer at -15°C to -18°C.
• Keep fridge door seals clean and replace if worn.
• Keep fridge ventilated, allow room for air to circulate on all sides – don’t overload.
• Use lids on pots to speed up cooking.
• When replacing or shopping for a new appliance, like a fridge, look for the Energy Rating label – the more stars the better!

In the Bathroom and Laundry

• Wash clothes in cold water, they get just as clean.
• Hang your clothes to dry instead of using the dryer.
• Install a water efficient shower head and keep your showers to a few minutes – this will reduce the amount of hot water you are using.
• Fix leaking taps and insulate hot water pipes.

In Living Areas

• Switch off lights when you leave a room.
• Switch off TVs, entertainment systems and computers at the power point when you’re not using them – don’t leave them on ‘stand-by’.
• Use a power board with a switch and make sure you can reach it.
• Replace old lights in your home with compact fluorescent light globes.

In Winter

• Close curtains, blinds and doors.
• Dress in warmer clothing.
• Set your heating between 18ºC and 21ºC. Each degree warmer can add 15 per cent to your heating bill.
• Turn off your second fridge.

In Summer

• Close curtains and blinds during the day.
• Open windows at night when the temperature has dropped to help clear out hot air.
• Set your air conditioning between 23°C and 26°C. Even better, use fans instead of air conditioners – or with them – to spread cool air further.

Save Power Kits

You can now borrow a Save Power Kit for FREE from Camden or Narellan Library.

This kit can show you where you use power in your home and suggest simple ideas and actions to use less power, reduce power bills and cut carbon pollution. The Kits include a power meter, compass, thermometers, detailed instructions and other tools and information to help you save power.

More information

For more information about saving energy, visit Energy Made Easy or the NSW Government’s Energy Saver website.

Reducing waste means changing the way we buy, use and then dispose of things. It means looking at the 'life cycle' of a product and questioning whether we really need it to when we think it’s time to throw it out.

Recycling is about managing and saving resources, saving energy and water, reducing pollution and waste.

To find out more visit Council’s Waste Services pages.