Mulching and composting the garden has many benefits. It conserves soil moisture; retards erosion and run-off; suppresses weed growth: absorbs the heat, keeping the soil cool; reduces extreme fluctuation in temperature and improves the soil condition.
Watering early in the morning allows less water to be lost through evaporation. Take care if watering too late (at night), this can cause certain plants to develop fungi (i.e. mildew on roses and zinnias, rust on lawns).
Encourage deeper root systems by watering for longer periods, less often. This applies particularly to lawns, encouraging them to be waterwise lawns.
A well-planned, efficient, irrigation system could save up 30% of water used.
When planning a new garden, selecting indigenous or drought resistant plants, shrubs and hedges, will mean you can water less frequently, once the plants are established