-Get a Quote Now
-Tank Size Calculator

-Rainwater Systems
   -Choose a system
   -Above ground systems
   -Below ground systems
   -Direct or Gravity Feed?
   -Installation Services

- Rainwater Management
- Tanks and Butts
- Modular Tanks
- Pumps
- Filters and Filtration
- Pipes and Hose
- Pipe & Hose Fittings
- Drainage & Flood
- Handy Accessories
- Wastewater Treatment
- Solar Pumps
- Full Product List
- Information Zone

- How are we doing?

Click on the TV above to watch a Graf video on rainwater harvesting
New video showing assembly of a Graf Carat tank

Download our fitting instructions for the Carat system

Most Precious Resource | Water facts | How to gain from rain | Saving the World | Drought protection | Reduce your water use

Reduce your water use 

Even if you install a rainwater harvesting system, this should not stop you trying to reduce your water use:

In the garden

• Use a drip or trickle system directed to specific plants rather than a sprinkler : a sprinkler uses 1000 litres an hour whereas a 100m length drip system uses on average 55 litres an hour
• Use a timer
• Never water in the heat of the day: evaporation will reduce the moisture rapidly, and the plant may even be worse off
• Put as much compost or mulch as possible round the base of plants to conserve moisture
• When planting shrubs and fruit trees, put a 30 to 40 cms length of hosepipe into the ground next to stem so that when watered down hose, moisture reaches roots
• For smaller plants and vegetables, dig in a small flower pot next to them which allows water in it to percolate slowly down to roots
• Round any plant, shrub or young tree, build up a shallow circular ditch round stem, so that water will stay rather than flow away at once. This is particularly necessary on slopes
• Gently break any hard soil surface round a plant (taking great care not to disturb roots), so that water can get in
• Cut lawns less frequently and with a higher blade in dry conditions. And remember that however brown it looks, it will recover. Resist the temptation to use a sprinkler!


In the house

• Have a shower instead of a bath, and use 33 litres (for a 5 min shower) rather than 100 litres. Watch out for power showers though: nearly 100 litres for 5 mins!)
• WCs, Toilets, Loos. Old WCs use @ 9 litres per flush. Put plastic bottle in cistern to reduce flush volume. New dual flush WCs use 4 or 2.5 litres per flush
• Don't leave taps running: 5 to 10 litres a minute can vanish in a minute while you wash your teeth or rinse fruit.
• Replace worn washers: a dripping tap can waste 4 litres a day.
• Think before you turn on the hot tap: a litre or 2 can flow away while you're waiting for the hotwater to come through.
• And a hint that's a pleasure to follow! Fully load a dishwasher rather than wash by hand.

  Here's a company that is trying hard to introduce ECO showers to help save water.