❓ Mr. Taylor inquires about the Waterwise Council program and its impact on water efficiency in local councils. The Minister provides an update on the program's initiatives, funding, and achievements in promoting water conservation.
AnsweredQoN 736Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATERWISE
COUNCIL PROGRAM — WATER CORPORATION GRANTS
736. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the
Minister for Water:
I understand that the Water Corporation has recently provided
grants to a number of shires, including the City of Melville, to support
Waterwise activities. Can the minister please provide an update on how this
government is promoting water efficiencies in our local councils?
COUNCIL PROGRAM — WATER CORPORATION GRANTS
736. Mr M.H. TAYLOR to the
Minister for Water:
I understand that the Water Corporation has recently provided
grants to a number of shires, including the City of Melville, to support
Waterwise activities. Can the minister please provide an update on how this
government is promoting water efficiencies in our local councils?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for his question and interest in water
efficiency and innovation. I know that the member has a keen interest in this
area and we have had several conversations in that space. The Waterwise Council
program is one of a range of water efficiency programs run by the Water
Corporation across the state. It is helping local governments across the state
to improve water use and efficiency within their own operations and
jurisdictions. In Western Australia, local governments use roughly 50 gigalitres
of groundwater and around 900 megalitres of surface water every year. As
members will understand, this water is mostly used to irrigate councils'
public open spaces and ovals for sport and recreational purposes. We know that
is incredibly important for community health and wellbeing. In a drying climate
and with competition for scarce resources, we need to make sure that our
communities not only have that amenity, but also manage it efficiently.
In 2009, the Department of Water and
the Water Corporation, with support from International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives, developed a Waterwise Council program to support
local governments improve their water management. This program helps councils
to become more efficient at using the water available to them through a number
of initiatives, including an audit so that local governments can understand
their water use before they start. They can then plan to improve their water
management and also how they can encourage communities within local government
boundaries to become more waterwise. Currently, Western Australia has 25 Waterwise
councils, with 30 more, at last count, working towards that status. To maintain
their Waterwise status, councils need to continue to implement water
efficiencies that come out of the audit and the program. A Waterwise council is
eligible to apply for funding of up to $10 000 through the Water Corporation.
This allows them to implement some of the efficiency measures they are working
through.
The member asked about recent announcements. The Shires of
Capel, Kalamunda, Peppermint Grove and Ashburton and the Cities of Joondalup,
Kwinana will match the funding they received from the Water Corporation dollar
for dollar. The Waterwise Council program has funded a range of different
projects for varying amounts, including council-owned building and residential
audits and retrofits, the installation of rainwater tanks, community education
activities, and a Waterwise demonstration garden initiative in the Shire of Ashburton.
The City of Melville received funding to upgrade hardware at LeisureFit,
Booragoon, so that bathrooms are water efficient. Local councils estimate that
they can potentially save up to six million litres of water a year, which is a
great outcome.
efficiency and innovation. I know that the member has a keen interest in this
area and we have had several conversations in that space. The Waterwise Council
program is one of a range of water efficiency programs run by the Water
Corporation across the state. It is helping local governments across the state
to improve water use and efficiency within their own operations and
jurisdictions. In Western Australia, local governments use roughly 50 gigalitres
of groundwater and around 900 megalitres of surface water every year. As
members will understand, this water is mostly used to irrigate councils'
public open spaces and ovals for sport and recreational purposes. We know that
is incredibly important for community health and wellbeing. In a drying climate
and with competition for scarce resources, we need to make sure that our
communities not only have that amenity, but also manage it efficiently.
In 2009, the Department of Water and
the Water Corporation, with support from International Council for Local
Environmental Initiatives, developed a Waterwise Council program to support
local governments improve their water management. This program helps councils
to become more efficient at using the water available to them through a number
of initiatives, including an audit so that local governments can understand
their water use before they start. They can then plan to improve their water
management and also how they can encourage communities within local government
boundaries to become more waterwise. Currently, Western Australia has 25 Waterwise
councils, with 30 more, at last count, working towards that status. To maintain
their Waterwise status, councils need to continue to implement water
efficiencies that come out of the audit and the program. A Waterwise council is
eligible to apply for funding of up to $10 000 through the Water Corporation.
This allows them to implement some of the efficiency measures they are working
through.
The member asked about recent announcements. The Shires of
Capel, Kalamunda, Peppermint Grove and Ashburton and the Cities of Joondalup,
Kwinana will match the funding they received from the Water Corporation dollar
for dollar. The Waterwise Council program has funded a range of different
projects for varying amounts, including council-owned building and residential
audits and retrofits, the installation of rainwater tanks, community education
activities, and a Waterwise demonstration garden initiative in the Shire of Ashburton.
The City of Melville received funding to upgrade hardware at LeisureFit,
Booragoon, so that bathrooms are water efficient. Local councils estimate that
they can potentially save up to six million litres of water a year, which is a
great outcome.
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