Smart Approved Watermark’s annual Water Night event is just a few weeks away and this year they’ll be asking Australian's country-wide to turn off their taps from 12pm to 12am in a bid to be more mindful about water usage. For the second year in a row, Hoselink is a proud supporter of the event with our water-saving Hose Connectors receiving their seal of approval. We reached out to Smart Approved WaterMark to hear their thoughts on the upcoming Water Night events and why being more mindful about water usage is so important:

'We believe that if everybody took a night to see for themselves just how often they reach for the tap, they’d be shocked. Reaching for the taps is such a subconscious thing, much like touching your hair or face, most people underestimate how often they do it. Water Night helps us all become more aware when reaching for taps, helping us value water, cut unnecessary use and save more,’ says Chris Philpot, CEO of Smart Approved WaterMark and Co-Founder of Water Night.

‘As someone who talks about the importance of saving water, even I was surprised how hard I found last year’s inaugural Water Night. Using tap water is such a second nature thing that it was really hard to stop on Water Night. Luckily, I had cloths around my taps and the Water Night Tap Guardians really helped me. I challenge everyone to see if they can break their water using autopilot!’ says Chris.

A lot of Chris’s words reign true for many Aussies; we’re all guilty of running on auto-pilot at times! And it’s easy to forget the significance of turning on the taps each day. As a sponsor of this year's Water Night, Hoselink want to arm you with some top tips to help you turn off the taps on Water Night and show you how to implement water mindfulness beyond that for long-term sustainability.

How to save water

55% of Australians are addicted to turning on the tap – let's help to reduce that figure together.

We chatted with our resident Horticulturist Ben Hayman about how he saves water working in gardens and in his own home.

As a horticulturist, is it hard to keep water saving in mind when taking care of plants and gardens?

Ben: To be honest, as horticulture and landscaping is my job, being water conscious is kind of ingrained in my mind. But I can completely understand why it’s not always second nature. Consistency is super important.

What are your top tips to help reduce water consumption and be more sustainable?

Mulching

You may have seen my video on Hoselink's YouTube channel where I talk about the benefits of mulching. One of the major benefits of mulching your garden is that it retains moisture and stops water run-off. Simply mulch 60mm thick and enjoy not having to water as often! For more tips on mulching, you can see the full Mulching video by clicking here.

Tap timers

Tap timers not only take the stress and time out of watering your garden, but they’re excellent for preventing over-watering too. Hoselink Tap Timers are a great option, particularly our latest model, which includes a built-in rain sensor that automatically delays your watering schedule if it begins to rain. This is perfect to help you save water all year round, just make sure you switch it off this year for Water Night!

Always water in the early morning and the evening

If you need to water the garden, be sure to complete it in the early morning before any hot temperatures interfere, or in the evenings when temperatures have cooled down. This will prevent and limit any sort of evaporation and will keep your plants hydrated for longer.

Glaze your pots

Glazing your pots is a great activity for both kids and adults to get involved in. Unfortunately, a lot of our favourite plant containers made of concrete or terracotta are porous or have small holes that can be impacted by the elements. While holes are usually for drainage, they can cause a lot of water loss and wastage. Keep your eye out for a step-by-step video on how to glaze your plant pots and save water.

Use shallow dishes to catch excess water

If you do have plants in containers, try to keep dishes under them to catch the water run-off and re-purpose. Most pots can be bought with a dish at a small extra cost from plant nurseries or your local hardware store.

Try a drip irrigation system

Drip irrigation can be an excellent solution for sustainable watering, saving up to 80% of water when properly installed. Drip irrigation has other great benefits like preserving your fertiliser and allowing your plants a steady flow of water to grow at the right rate. Hoselink sell a Mini Sprinkler Kit with the option to use drip irrigation nozzles, check it out here.

Keep your gutters clean

If your home uses tank water, it is super important to keep your gutters free from debris. This will allow you to collect run off and the water will be clean, making it perfect for outdoor watering.

When you’re waiting for the water to heat up

If you’re waiting for the water to heat up under the tap, put a bucket under the tap to preserve the water that’s cold. This will save at least a few litres of wasted water, which can be repurposed for drinking or other water-related activities!

Being water conscious is built into memory

You know what they say; practice makes perfect! With regular reminders and consistency, you will naturally form healthy habits around watering and how frequently you use your taps. Some people find it helpful to have written reminders near their taps and even keep a chart of how many times it’s turned on. Visual aids can be very helpful, especially when teaching kids about the importance of water preservation.

Water Night participation

Don’t forget, Water Night is coming up on 21st October 2021. Whether you are at work, home or are in school, there are many ways you can participate! If you’d like to register for the event, you can do so by clicking here.

Here are some of the guidelines for Water Night to get you prepared:

• No taps, no showers, no running water
• Participants can fill empty bottles for drinking prior to the event
• Participants can use one pre-prepared bucket of tap water
• Use of taps for COVID hygiene and religious reasons are exempt
• Toilets can be used during the designated period, but reduced flushes are encouraged

• Water Night is on Thursday 21st October 2021 from 12pm until 12am

Helpful hint: Fill the kettle with just enough water in advance to boil your water later. It’s an extra precaution to make sure you don’t run out of water to make your nightly cuppa!

To learn more about Water Night, Smart Approved Water Mark has plenty of helpful tips and resources, which you can find and download here.

Did you know one dripping tap can waste 15L of water a day, or 5,500L of water per year? To help you get involved in Water Night and start saving water, Hoselink is offering you 10% off our water-saving Hose Connectors and Starter Kits! Click here to start shopping.