The typical breakdown of water use in a New Zealand home is shown in the figure below

 The Government has signalled that it will have introduced a mandatory water efficiency labelling system (WELS) by mid 2008. That will guide the purchase of the most efficient appliances and fixtures. Toilet and bathing/shower use account for about half our water use and can be easily reduced by simple measures. Install low flow shower heads to reduce water flow rate from c.12 litres plus from conventional shower heads to 6 or 7 liters per minute. Install the latest dual 4.5/3 litre flush toilets. If in a situation where waterless toilets are permitted then they should be considered. With the exception of appliance taps choose taps with aerators to limit flow without apparent reduction in pressure.

Use WELS, or should that standard not be available when signalled, choose the most water efficient use appliances for the home. While hand washing plates can be more efficient than using a dishwasher that isn’t usually the case, given the way people wash by hand so an efficient dishwasher would be an expected feature of a new home. The WELS labeling system shows dishwashers that use 24 liters per wash as 1 star and models that use 12 liters a wash as 4 stars. Perhaps surprisingly an in-sink waste disposal unit can also have merit but its relative merit is context.