Do Bidets Increase Water Bills? What It Really Means for Melbourne and Australian Homes

For most households, a bidet is likely to add only a small amount to overall water use, although the exact impact depends on how often it's used, how long each wash lasts, and your local water charges.

Melbourne households often ask us this before switching. Below, we set out what affects a bidet's water use and how you can work out the effect for your own home.

In this guide you'll learn what drives bidet water use, how to estimate it for a Melbourne household, how it relates to toilet paper, and a few ways to keep your water use low. If you're new to bidets altogether, our guide on what a bidet is and how it works is a good place to start.

How much water does a bidet use?

Water use varies by model, water pressure and wash duration. As a general guide, a short bidet wash uses a small amount of water, often well under a litre. For our non-electric bidet seats, our D shape bidet seat buying guide gives an approximate figure of 500 to 600 mL per wash cycle. Treat any per-wash figure as an estimate, and check the specifications of the individual product for more precise details.

For comparison, many modern dual-flush toilets are rated at 4.5 litres for a full flush and 3 litres for a half flush, depending on the product's WELS rating.

Three things change how much water each wash uses:

Bidet type	What changes the water used
Non-electric bidet seat	Wash length and the pressure setting you choose
Smart (electric) bidet seat	Wash length, pressure and spray mode
Handheld bidet spray	How firmly you press the trigger, and for how long
Portable bidet	Limited by the size of the bottle or tank

Estimating bidet water use for a Melbourne home

Household water use varies a lot from home to home, depending on how many people live there, the property and how water is used day to day. So rather than quoting an average, here's a way to estimate the bidet's share for your own household.

Using an illustrative example of 0.5 litres per wash and five washes per day, one person would use about 913 litres per year (0.5 × 5 × 365). How significant that is compared with your total household water use will vary from home to home.

Household	Illustrative bidet water per year (0.5 L per wash, 5 washes a day)
1 person	About 913 litres
2 people	About 1,825 litres
4 people	About 3,650 litres

To see how this compares with your own use, look at the total water use shown on your latest bill and compare it with the figure above for your household.

What it means for your water bill across Australia

Whether you live in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Hobart or Canberra, water bills generally include usage charges as well as other service charges. That means the financial effect of additional bidet use depends on your local provider and tariff.

If you'd like to estimate it, find the water usage line on your latest statement and multiply its rate by your household's estimated bidet use from the table above.

Bidet vs toilet paper

Using a bidet may reduce toilet paper consumption. Toilet paper manufacturing also requires water and other resources, although the exact environmental impact varies considerably depending on the production method, fibre source and product. You can read more in our article on bidets and the environment.

Less paper on the shopping list

If you prefer to use toilet paper after washing, a smaller amount may be sufficient for drying. Over time, that can mean fewer rolls in the trolley. We look at this in more detail in our article on bidets and toilet paper costs.

Less paper in the toilet

Using less toilet paper may reduce the amount of paper entering the toilet and sewer system.

	Toilet paper only	Bidet + paper to dry, if preferred
Water used at home per visit	One flush	One flush plus the water used for the wash
Toilet paper used	Depends on wiping	Can be less, depending on personal preference
How you clean	Wiping with paper	Washing with water

For hygiene questions, see our article on bidets compared with wiping covers that side in more detail.

Do smart bidet seats use more power?

A smart bidet seat uses water for washing, plus electricity for its heating and drying features. Warm water, a heated seat and a warm-air dryer all draw power, so they affect your electricity use as well as your water use.

How much depends on which features you use and how often. Energy-saving mode, a lower seat temperature, or switching the seat heat off over a Melbourne summer all reduce power use. We cover this in do smart toilets use a lot of electricity, and whether the dryer is worth having in is a bidet with a dryer worth it.

If you'd rather use no power at all, a non-electric bidet seat runs on water pressure alone. You can read more in our article on non-electric bidets at home.

6 ways to keep your bidet water usage low

These habits keep your bidet water use at the lower end.

1.    Start on a low pressure. A lower setting uses less water, so start low and adjust from there. Our guide on how hard a bidet should spray covers pressure settings.

2.    Keep each wash short. Use only as much wash time and pressure as you need, following the product instructions.

3.    Use the matching mode. Rear and front washes are aimed differently, so choose the one for the area you are washing. Here's what the feminine setting on a bidet is for.

4.    Pat dry if you prefer paper. A smaller amount of paper may be sufficient for drying. If you're unsure about the order, see whether you wipe or spray first.

5.    Take a portable bidet when you're away. A portable bidet holds a set amount of water per fill, for use when travelling, in caravans or camping. Compare the options in our portable bidets guide for Australia.

6.    Get the household on the same page. Agree on pressure and wash time so everyone uses the bidet the same way.

Choosing a bidet in Melbourne and across Australia

Your choice depends on whether you want warm water and a heated seat, or a seat that needs no power. Conor is an Australian-owned brand, and all Conor bidet seats are WaterMark certified. WaterMark certification applies to the product. The installation itself must still meet the applicable plumbing and backflow requirements.

What you want	Conor product	What it offers
No power needed	Conor Elara non-electric bidet seat, in D shape or O shape	Runs on water pressure alone, and you control the pressure
Warm water and a heated seat	Conor Lyra smart bidet seat	Warm water and a heated seat with side-panel controls
A handheld option	Conor Ember handheld bidet spray	The trigger lets you control how much water you use
Travel, camping or postpartum care	Conor Veyra portable bidet or Conor Rinora with a 5L tank	A set amount of water per fill

Not sure which one fits your bathroom? Browse the full bidet seat range or message our team. Free shipping is available in accordance with our current shipping policy, and change-of-mind returns within 30 days are available under the conditions set out in our return policy. Free shipping and the 30-day change-of-mind return do not apply to smart toilets in the same way: smart toilets have shipping charges calculated separately and their own return conditions, as set out in the policies. Each product also comes with a manufacturer's warranty, with the warranty period shown on each product page. These are in addition to the rights and remedies available under the Australian Consumer Law. You can also learn about our tree-planting program.

Frequently asked questions

Will a bidet increase my water bill?

A bidet generally uses a relatively small amount of water per wash, but the effect on your bill depends on how often it is used and your local water tariff.

How much water does a bidet add to a Melbourne household?

It depends on how many people use it, how often and for how long. As an illustrative example, at 0.5 litres per wash and five washes a day, one person would use about 913 litres a year. How that compares with your total use will vary from home to home.

How much water does a bidet use per wash?

Water use varies by model, water pressure and wash duration. For our non-electric bidet seats, our buying guide gives an approximate figure of 500 to 600 mL per wash cycle. Check the specifications of the individual product for more precise details.

Do bidets use more water than toilet paper?

The comparison depends on whether you are looking only at water used in the home or also considering the resources used to manufacture toilet paper. Using a bidet can reduce toilet paper consumption.

Do warm water bidets use more water?

A warm water or smart bidet seat uses water for washing in the same way as a non-electric seat, plus electricity to heat the water and the seat. Actual water use varies by model, pressure setting and wash duration.

Do you still need toilet paper with a bidet?

That's a personal choice. If you prefer to use toilet paper after washing, a smaller amount may be sufficient for drying, and a bidet with a warm-air dryer gives you another option.

Is a bidet a good choice for a water-conscious home in Australia?

A bidet is one option for households looking to reduce toilet paper use. Actual water use varies by product, water pressure and wash duration.