Water Conservation Handbook for Local Governments - Australia

ConservationHandbook

Water

for Local Government

Water Conservation Partnership Project Department for Environment and Heritage GPO Box 1047 Adelaide South Australia 5001

July 2005

ISBN 0 7590 1055 2

Disclaimer The views contained in this handbook do not necessarily represent those of the Department for Environment and Heritage or the South Australian Government or the partners engaged in the Water Conservation Partnership Project.

The Water Conservation Partnership Project

2000- 2004 partners were:

• Local Government Association of South Australia (LGA)

• River Murray Urban Users Local Action Planning Committee (RMUULAPC)

• Department for Environment and Heritage (DEH)

• Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (DWLBC)

• Planning SA

• SA Water

• Torrens Catchment Water Management Board (TCWMB)

• Patawalonga Catchment Water Management Board (PCWMB)

• River Murray Catchment Water Management Board (RMCWMB)

• Onkaparinga Catchment Water Management Board (OCWMB)

• Northern Adelaide and Barossa Catchment Water Management Board (NABCWMB)

• CSIRO

• Natural Heritage Trust

Project Manager Phil Donaldson Office of Sustainability

Acknowledgments The Department for Environment and Heritage on behalf of the project partners of the Water Conservation Partnership Project (WCPP) would like to thank the following groups and individuals for their valuable contribution.

Project Management Group:

Martin Allen (DWLBC)Marilla Barnes (SA Water)Natasha Davis (NABCWMB)Janet Inman (OCWMB)Tanya Miller (Office of Sustainability, seconded from the Cityof West Torrens)Stephen West (City of Burnside)

Consultants:

Sustainable Focus Pty Ltd 11 Gething Crescent, Bowden SA 5007 Tel (08) 8340 8666 Email [email protected] Web www.sustainablefocus.com.au

Other contacts:

Jade Ballantyne (City of Holdfast Bay)Graham Brook (City of Tea Tree Gully)Ben Calder (City of Onkaparinga) Jeremy Cape (CSIRO)David Cooney and Graham Webster (Alexandrina Council)David Cunliffe (Department for Human Services)Trudi Duffield (Murray Darling Association)Michael Howley (City of Unley)Tim Kelly (SA Water)Jacob Kochergen (City of Mitcham) David Lane (Streaky Bay District Council) Justin Lang (City of CampbelltownRima Lauge-Christensen (Hornsby Shire CouncilMarnie Lynch (City of Prospect)Rebecca Neumann (WaterWise)John Salter (City of Adelaide)Verity Sanders (City of Port Adelaide Enfield) Chris Tually (City of Unley)Glen Williams (Adelaide Hills Council)and many others.

The assistance of the Graphic Design Unit, Public AffairsBranch (DEH) and the Murray Darling Association isappreciated in the final production of the manual.

Foreword

The sustainable use of our water resources is crucial to ensure that future generations will enjoy the same quality of life that we now enjoy. The stresses on the River Murray, a key water resource for Adelaide and many South Australian country towns, and the pressure on water resources in the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island regions have become increasingly evident. Rising water salinity, stressed water dependent ecosystems and increasing pollution in our coastal and riverine environments are an indication of the impact we have had on our water resources. The potential for climate change to alter rainfall in South Australia, highlights the need for flexible and sustainable management of our water resources.

At the same time community expectations in relation to water are beginning to change. The community expects all levels of Government to assist in protecting water resources. The South Australian Government has introduced permanent water conservation measures for the first time and embarked on a WaterCare community education campaign to increase awareness of the precious nature of our water resources. The community as a whole is beginning to accept an obligation on all users to become efficient in their water use and to reduce wasteful practices.

The Water Conservation Handbook for Local Government is a recognition that all sections of the South Australian community, including State and Local Government, need to respect our water resources to ensure the long term sustainability of the State. The State Government, in response to this need, has launched its Greening of Government (GoGO) policy framework. The Government has eight priority areas including water conservation and wastewater management. GoGO gives a clear message that the State Government is serious about managing the environmental impacts of its own operations and the sustainable use of water resources.

Hon John Hill MP Minister for Environment and Conservation

Date 1st July 2005

The case studies contained in the Water Conservation Handbook for Local Government demonstrate the leadership shown by a number of councils in South Australia to reduce their own water use, and to provide water conservation educational and incentive schemes for their communities. The Handbook sets out how councils can develop polices and plan for water conservation in their community and within council operations. It provides an opportunity for each council in South Australia to mobilise resources to implement water conservation initiatives within its community.

The Water Conservation Partnership Project (WCPP) partners have been responsible for the production of this handbook. The WCPP (2000-2004) has been a joint partnership between the Local Government Association and local councils, the Department for Environment and Heritage, the River Murray Urban Users Committee, the Department of Water Land and Biodiversity Conservation, Planning SA, SA Water, Patawalonga and Torrens Catchment Water Management Boards, River Murray Catchment Water Management Board, Onkaparinga Catchment Water Management Board, Northern Adelaide and Barossa Catchment Water Management Board and the CSIRO. It was funded through the Commonwealth’s Natural Heritage Trust and with the assistance of the project partners.

We recommend this handbook to everyone in South Australia as an important resource to assist in community water conservation efforts. It is an excellant resource to focus councils on their efforts to use their water resources in their community in a sustainable way.

Hon Karlene Maywald MP Minister for the River Murray

Date 1st July 2005

Cr John Legoe Colin Hill President of the Local Government Association of Chairman of the River Murray Urban Users Committee South Australia Date 1st July 2005 Date 1st July 2005

Water Conservation Handbook

Water Conservation Handbook i

Table of Contents

Welcome 1 How can you implement the ideas in this Handbook? 1 Where can you go for more information? 1

SECTION 1 Why worry about water? 3 Why is water conservation important? 3 Where does our water come from? 3 Where is water used? 4 What are the benefits of conserving water? 5 How can we conserve water? 6

SECTION 2 What is happening in water conservation internationally, nationally and in South Australia? 7 The International context 7 The Australian context 7 National Water Conservation Labelling Scheme and the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA) 7 The South Australian context 8 Catchment Water Management Boards and NRM Boards 9 Local Government 9

SECTION 3 Planning for water conservation 11 Introduction 11 Principles 11 The Planning Process 12 1. Developing your approach 12 2. Preliminary approval 13 3. Investigation and data collection 13 4. Design 15 5. Implementation 15 6. Review – monitoring and evaluation 16

SECTION 4 Changing Council policies and plans 17 Introduction 17 Strategic Management Plans 17 Development Plans 17 Internal policies and procedures 18 Stormwater 18 Council policies and plans related to water management 20

SECTION 5 How to conserve water in Council operations 21 Introduction 21 Approaches 21 A different approach – using an Energy and Water Performance Contract 21 Planning sheet 1: Undertaking a Water Audit 23 Planning sheet 2: Irrigation water use 25 Planning sheet 3: Facility water use 29 Planning sheet 4: Alternative supplies of water 31 Planning sheet 5: Construction and refurbishments 35

SECTION 6 Community programs for water conservation 37 Introduction – Planning your community programs 37 Where are the largest savings in household water use? 38 How using logic can help with your planning 40 Describe and plan the program 42 Options for water conservation activities 43

SECTION 7 References and contact details 49 Resource materials included in Section 7 49 Contacts and resources 50 References 50

Resources on CD Information sheets and resources developed for this handbook: - Best practice water conservation principles- Rainwater tanks information sheet- Greywater systems information sheet- Home water self-audit worksheet and manual- Community program planning worksheetWater Conservation Partnership Project 2003- 2004 demonstration projects Australian and International case studies Other case studies Materials

Water Conservation Handbook ii

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 The natural water cycle 3

Figure 2 Human impacts on the water cycle 4

Figure 3 Regions in South Australia supplied by the River Murray 5

Figure 4 Adelaide metropolitan water supply 5

Figure 5 Water use in South Australia 5

Figure 6 The water conservation management hierarchy 11

Figure 7 Council policies and plans related to water management 20

Figure 8 Example chart of water use at an urban Council depot 23

Figure 9 Example breakdown of water use in a Council office building 24

Figure 10 Unley Museum Rainwater Tanks Project Demonstration Site 31

Figure 11 Aquifer Storage and Recovery 32

Figure 12 Laratinga wetlands 34

Figure 13 Typical household water use 37

Figure 14 Efficient household water use 38

Figure 15 Components of a basic program logic model 41

Figure 16 Worked example – right-to-left program logic model 41

Figure 17 Worked example – left-to-right program logic model 42

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Possible stakeholders in water conservation 14

Table 2 Estimated annual water use by dwelling type (1993) 39

Table 3 Indicative savings for using water conservation methods or devices 40

Table 4 Examples of incentive programs 44

Table 5 Examples of education and communication programs 46

iii Water Conservation Handbook

Welcome

This Handbook has been prepared as a water conservation resource for Local Government staff and elected members. Whether you know a little or a lot about water conservation, this Handbook is designed to assist you to:

1. understand why water conservation is important, especially in South Australia (Section 1);

2. understand what is happening in water conservation – internationally, nationally and at a state level (Section 2);

3. develop an overall water conservation plan (Section 3);

4. alter Council policies and plans to assist water conservation (Section 4);

5. improve Council operations so that they conserve water (Section 5); and

6. undertake community programs in water conservation (Section 6).

The Handbook is an outcome of the Water Conservation Partnership Project 2000- 2004 (refer to the inside of the front cover for a list of project partners).

How can you implement the ideas in this Handbook?

If you are new to water conservation, you might like to read sections 1 and 2 to understand the issues surrounding water conservation and the context for Local Government water conservation programs. Section 2 gives an overview of international, national, State and regional initiatives, current legislation relevant to water conservation and the context of water conservation within the South Australian Local Government Act.

If you have sufficient time and resources, it is best to prepare a water conservation plan to cover Council policies, operations and community education. Section 3 provides guidance on planning your approach to water conservation. If you have limited time and resources, you could focus on changing Council plans and policies, as outlined in Section 4.

Saving water in Council operations will reduce your Council’s water bills and the savings can be used in turn to fund other programs. Section 5 provides guidance for saving water in Council operations. Section 6 is an overview of incentive and education programs that Councils can run for the community.

Where can you go for more information?

Section 7 can be found on the attached CD, It contains information about organisations that may be able to help you with resources and advice in implementing water conservation programs. It includes information sheets, a household water audit manual and other selected resource materials.

Water Conservation Handbook 1


1S E C T I O N Why worry about water?

Why is water conservation important?

Water is a precious resource that needs to be used wisely, especially in Australia, which is the driest inhabited continent on earth. At the moment we don’t use water wisely; in fact, we use more water per person than every other nation on earth, except for the United States. In addition, salinity and deteriorating water quality are seriously affecting the sustainability of Australia’s agricultural production, the conservation of biological diversity and the viability of our infrastructure and regional communities (CoAG Communique, see www.coag.gov.au/ for full details).

Conserving water is particularly important in South Australia because it is the driest state in Australia. On average, 48 per cent of Australia receives more than 300mm of rainfall each year, whereas only twelve per cent of South Australia does1. As a comparison, the annual flow of the Murray–Darling River system carries less water than the Amazon River does in one day2.

The effects of our high levels of water use have been dramatic. For example, currently the lower River Murray effectively experiences drought conditions one year in two, whereas before European arrival these conditions only occurred once every twenty years. If nothing is done, reduced flows and increased salinity will mean that within twenty years Adelaide’s main

water supply will fail World Health Organisation Guidelines for drinking water on average 40% of the time. The situation will be worse in areas that rely solely on the River Murray for their water supply. In addition, if action is not taken, increasing stream salinity in the River Murray is projected to raise water costs in South Australia by $17 million a year3. Major interventions such as dredging of the Murray Mouth, salinity interception schemes and permanent water restrictions are contributing to the sustainable management of our water resources.

Conserving water is an effective way of maintaining an adequate quality and quantity of water for the environment and for future generations. Fortunately, most people in South Australia recognise that water quality and conservation are crucial issues. For example, in a survey of residents of the West Torrens Council area, the 200 respondents rated water quality and water conservation as their primary and fourth issues of environmental concern (from sixteen options). These issues also rank highly in environmental perspective surveys of South Australians undertaken by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Where does our water come from?

Water circulates through the natural environment in a continuing cycle powered by the sun. This is known as the water cycle and is shown in Figure 1.

FIGURE 1 The natural water cycle

SNOW

RUNOFF

HAIL

RAIN

LAKES

SUN

INFILTRATIONGROUNDWATER

IMPERVIOUS LAYER

(ANIMALS), COMBUSTION (MACHINES),

OCEAN CONTRIBUTES

OCEAN

INTRUSION

CLOUD FORMATION

SURFACE

PRECIPITATION

RESERVOIRS

CONDENSING WATER VAPOUR

EVAPORATION FROM PRECIPITATION, SURFACE WATER, RESPIRATION

TRANSPIRATION (PLANTS)

EVAPORATION

ABOUT 80% OF TOTAL WATER VAPOUR IN AIR

SALT WATER


FIGURE 2 Human impacts on the water cycle

Many human activities impact significantly on the water cycle. For example, clearing vegetation degrades water quality through soil erosion and changes water flow patterns because of altered rates of evaporation, transpiration and infiltration. Some human impacts on the water cycle are shown in Figure 2 from www.watercare.net.

South Australians receive their water from a number of major water supply systems, some of which rely on local water sources, but many of which rely on the River Murray. In an average year, the River Murray supplies almost half the State's urban water needs. In dry years, the River Murray supplies up to 90 per cent of the State’s urban water needs. Major regions in South Australia supplied by the River Murray are depicted in Figure 3. A recent offtake to the Barossa is not included.

Rural and remote communities rely on a wide variety of water sources including groundwater, small local dams, household rainwater tanks and water piped over many kilometres in regional pipeline systems.

Where is water used?

South Australia uses water for irrigated agriculture, manufacturing, domestic use, dryland farming and mining. Figure 52 on page 5 demonstrates where water is used in South Australia.

While 80 per cent of water used in the State is used for irrigation, reducing water use by Local Government and the community is important in that it shows we all need to work together when asking irrigators to make efficiency improvements. Water conservation in the community provides many benefits in addition to water resource conservation.

Adelaide is supplied via large pipelines from the River Murray and from the Adelaide Hills Catchment area, as shown on page 5 in Figure 45.


FIGURE 3 Regions in South Australia supplied by FIGURE 4 Adelaide metropolitan water supply

conserving water?

the River Murray

What are the benefits of

There are benefits for Local Government across thetriple bottom line (economic, social and environmental)from conserving water. FIGURE 5 Water use in South Australia

Economic Conserving water within your own Council’s operations can reduce water bills significantly – see Section 5 (page 21) for a case study. The implementation of water conservation measures can also delay the need to augment water supply and disposal infrastructure.

Social/community Social and community benefits of water conservation include the flow-on savings of reduced water bills (and energy bills where hot water is conserved) to residents and the conservation of water resources for future generations (contributing to inter-generational equity). In addition, water conservation ensures food and other Irrigated agriculture 80%goods can continue to be grown and manufactured at

Industry, manufacturing, services 6% current prices. Dryland farming and rural living 4%

Water conservation improves people’s quality of life as Urban domestic water services 9% it enables them to enjoy recreational activities such as

Mining 1%fresh water fishing, boating and water sports. By taking action on water conservation Local Government can meet community expectations and demonstrate local leadership.


Environmental Conserving water helps to improve environmental flows in our rivers and reduces demand on groundwater sources. This in turn improves river and ecosystem health and groundwater quality, decreases salinity and maintains biodiversity. Conserving water also has end-of-pipe benefits for the environment. For example:

• reducing indoor water usage decreases sewage volumes, leading to a reduction in treated and untreated effluent discharges to water bodies; and

• capture and use of rainwater reduces stormwater volumes, leading to reduced volumes of street runoff. This may reduce flooding, erosion and environmental damage to our streams and coastal waters.

Conserving water can also help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to the energy saved from reduced use of hot water, electricity use and associated greenhouse gas emissions are reduced because less water is being pumped from the River Murray to urban areas in South Australia. Currently, the energy required to do this is 906 kWh/Ml (three times the Australian average) and the associated greenhouse emissions are in excess of 200 000 tonnes per annum (this is equivalent to the annual emissions from 40 000 cars)8.

How can we conserve water?

Councils are increasingly being encouraged by their communities to address water conservation as a priority environmental issue. Conserving water means using water resources more wisely. In the water industry this is known as ‘demand management’. Demand management can often be undertaken without changing the way we live or dramatically changing our lifestyles. Four major types of demand management instruments exist to encourage water conservation.

1. Regulatory instruments The State and Federal Governments have a role in regulation through methods such as mandatory labelling of the water efficiency of appliances and restricting the sale of non-water efficient devices. There are various regulatory methods that Local Government can use to encourage water conservation, see Section 4 (page 17). South Australia has in place the capacity to introduce water restrictions which permit or prohibit certain water use behaviour, see Section 4 for details

2. Structural and operational measures Three types of structural measures for water conservation exist:

• the use of more water efficient plumbing fixtures in buildings and within the water supply system;

• more efficient use of water outdoors; and

• access to alternative water sources such as reuse, rainwater and groundwater.

Local Government can demonstrate leadership by improving the performance of its own operations. Refer to Section 5 for further information about improving water conservation in Council operations.

3. Community programs – education and incentives

Education and incentive schemes can be used by Local Government to encourage the uptake of water conservation practices and technologies, see Section 6 for further information.

4. Economic instruments Economic instruments are market-based mechanisms such as pricing, tradeable property rights and economic or enforcement incentives to encourage water users to modify their behaviour to achieve sustainability. Economic instruments can be established by Federal and State Governments and water utilities, and are seldom used by Local Government.

Overall, Local Government has an important role in facilitating water conservation as it is:

• responsible for the provision of infrastructure and services;

• responsible for local environmental management and regulation; and

• able to provide opportunities for local education, public participation and local action.

NOTE:

and standards scheme is likely to be in operation from 1 July 2005.

The scheme will ensure consumers have

products, such as dishwashers, taps, shower systems and washing machines in the first instance.

A national mandatory water efficiency labelling

knowledge about water efficiency of domestic


2S E C T I O N What is happening in water conservation internationally, nationally and in South Australia?

The international context

Conserving water is one of the many challenges for humanity in moving towards sustainability. At an international level, there have been a number of agreements and events that have focused on the importance of water conservation including:

• the UN Conference on the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972);

• the International Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation Decade launch (Mar del Plata, 1977);

• the World Conference on Water and the Environment (Dublin, 1992);

• the UNCED Earth Summit - Agenda 21 (Rio de Janeiro, 1992);

• the Drinking Water and Environmental Sanitation Conference on the Implementation of Agenda 21 (Noordwijk, Meeting of Ministers, 1994);

• the Global Water Partnership meeting (Stockholm, 1996);

• the 1st World Water Forum of the World Water Council (Marrakesh, 1997);

• the World Summit (Johannesburg, 2002); and

• the 3rd World Water Forum (Japan, 2003).

The Australian context

The Commonwealth Government has a limited role in water conservation, as resource issues are generally the jurisdiction of State and Local Governments. In February 1994, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) consisting of the Prime Minister, Premiers, Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association agreed to implement a ‘strategic framework to achieve an efficient and sustainable water industry’.

The COAG Water Reform Framework aims to improve water management and to ensure that the extraction of water is sustainable. Governments have introduced a range of reforms to the water industry (see www.deh.gov.au/water/policy/coag.html

These have included charging for the full cost of supplying water, creating a market to allow the water to move to higher value crops or uses, and separating the regulatory and supply functions of water management agencies. Since 1996, there has been some progress in most states and territories. Reforms are not yet fully and equitably implemented, however. For example users of urban water largely meet the environmental costs of urban water supply in most states and territories, but the costs of rural water generally do not account for the full environmental cost of extraction. For details go to www.deh.gov.au/soe/2001/water.html.

In 2002, a Senate Inquiry into Australia's Urban Water Management made recommendations for Commonwealth-led reform of urban water management in Australia. The Senate Report 'The Value of Water' is available at www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/ ecita_ctte/water/report/contents.htm.

At its meeting on June 25 2004, COAG agreed to a National Water Initiative (NWI), covering a range of areas in which greater compatability and the adoption of best practice approaches to water management nationally will bring substantial benefits. Key elements of the NWI include the return of over allocated systems to sustainable levels and actions to better manage water demand in urban areas. www.coag.gov.au/meetings/250604

A potentially powerful regulatory role for the Commonwealth Government and its agencies is the Building Code of Australia (BCA), which can be used as a significant tool to ensure water efficient appliances are standard in new buildings. For example, under the BCA only dual-flush cisterns can now be installed in Australia.


National Water Conservation Labelling Scheme and the Water Services Association of Australia

Many water efficient products are rated under a National Water Conservation Labelling Scheme administered by the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA). Under the scheme products can be labelled from ‘A’ (a moderate water efficiency rating) to ‘AAAAA’ (the best rating of all). Many products are available that are rated at least ‘AAA’.

These include showerheads, washing machines, toilet suites, flow restrictors and some other appliances and fixtures. A listing of products certified under the Scheme is available on the WSAA website www.wsaa. asn.au. Refer to Section 7 for further contact details.

The Department of Environment and Heritage (Commonwealth Government Department) will introduce a national mandatory water efficiency labelling and minimum water efficiency standards (WELS) for domestic appliances, fixtures and fittings as a method of reducing urban water consumption. See www.deh.gov.au/water/urban/final-report.html for details.

The South Australian context

Legislation The Water Resources Act 1997 sets the legislative framework in South Australia for water resource management. It includes a requirement for the State Government to prepare and keep an up-to-date State Water Plan (the current plan was released in September 2000) and provides the powers for the creation of Catchment Water Management Boards with delegated authority to prepare Catchment Water Management Plans. Other Acts which contain provisions relevant to water management include the Environment Protection Act 1993 (water pollution), Sewerage Act 1929, Waterworks Act (restrictions) and the Public and Environmental Health Act 1987 (sanitation and drainage). The Natural Resources Management Act 2004, has recently been passed which will eventually replace the Water Resouces Act 1997 and allow for the development to Natural Resource Management Boards instead.

The safe collection, treatment and disposal of nonindustrial wastewater (sewage and wastewater of domestic origin) is managed in South Australia under the Sewerage Act administered by SA Water or the Public and Environmental Health Act (Waste Control Regulations) 1995.

The Waste Control Regulations come into effect in those areas where the SA Water Corporation's sewage services are not available. About one third of South Australians (400 000 people) are serviced by wastewater systems administered under the Waste Control Regulations. The Waste Control Regulations are administered by Local Government or authorised officers of the Department of Health with delegated authority from the Minister of Health, depending on the type of system. For details refer to www.dh.sa.gov.au/pehs/branches/wastewater/wastewate r-legis.htm All public water supplies (including communal rainwater tanks) are subject to the Food Act and Regulations.

Water supply and treatment Water supply and infrastructure in South Australia is managed by SA Water. There are some exceptions where water is supplied by private companies, for example at Skye, Coober Pedy, Leigh Creek, Woomera and Roxby Downs. In turn, rainwater tanks are managed by individual householders or businesses.

SA Water manages the bulk of the state’s reticulation systems, especially in the metropolitan area and large country towns. There are some private reticulation systems in smaller country towns (e.g. Weeroona Island).

SA Water also manages the bulk of SA's wastewater treatment. There are some private wastewater treatment and re-use schemes and many smaller country areas have septic tank effluent disposal system (STEDS) schemes operated by Councils. In country areas many households and businesses have individual on-site wastewater treatment systems.

Stormwater infrastructure is managed by local Councils. Refer to Section 4 for details.

State Government bodies and partnerships The Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (DWLBC) is the principal Department which assists the Minister responsible for the administration of the South Australian Water Resources Act 1997. Through effective administration of the Act, the Department seeks to encourage use of water for its highest and best return within sustainable limits.

The Environment Protection Authority (EPA) regulates and prosecutes for water pollution activities and also provides water education programs for business and the community including Codes of Practice for Stormwater Pollution Prevention.


SA Water is a corporation wholly owned by the Government of South Australia (with United Water and United Utilities as subcontractors) responsible for reticulated water supply, wastewater treatment and infrastructure throughout much of South Australia.

Planning SA is a State Government agency, part of the Department of Transport and Urban Planning, responsible for guiding and administering the South Australian Planning and Development Assessment System. Planning SA has developed a Stormwater Plan Amendment Report and guidelines for Local Government, as well as information on good residential design and planning frameworks.

The Environmental Health Service of the Department of Health provides a range of scientific, engineering and technical services related to public and environmental health, specifically in the areas of drinking water (including rainwater), sanitation and wastewater management. This includes administration of the Waste Control Regulations, assessment and approvals for wastewater systems and reclaimed water re-use systems, and support for Local Government in the administration of the Public and Environmental Health Act and Regulations.

The River Murray Urban Users (RMUU) Group is a local action planning group addressing natural resource management issues in the Murray-Darling Basin in South Australia, to help to preserve and restore the health of the River Murray. The RMUU Group target area is all of the regions outside the Murray-Darling Basin that receive piped River Murray water in South Australia.

The Water Conservation Partnership Project (WCPP) (1999–2004) was administered by the Department for Environment and Heritage on behalf of a number of State, Local Government and community stakeholders. The Project aimed to reduce urban dependency on River Murray water in the RMUU region by increasing water use efficiency and the sustainable use of alternative water supplies. Twelve Local Government and community based pilot water conservation education and incentive projects and demonstration sites, a symposium and several studies and publications were funded.

Water Proofing Adelaide is a South Australian Government initiative that seeks to establish a blueprint for the management, conservation and development of Adelaide’s water resources to 2025. Adelaide faces several significant issues. The first is the escalating risks facing our environment. The River Murray, which we rely heavily for our mains water in South Australia, is under continued stress as is the

Adelaide Hills catchments and groundwater resources also face competition for water from the various water using sectors. The second issue is Adelaide’s increasing thirst.

Although South Australia is at the forefront of water conservation and reuse initiatives, in the absence of further action, as foreshadoweed in the draft Water Proofing Adelaide strategy - the trend of increasing demand for water in Adelaide would be expected to continue. The Water Proofing Adelaide document provides strategies for ensuring our water supplies are sustainable well into the future through better land management and in developing alternative water supplies For more information go to: www.waterproofingadelaide.sa.gov.au

Catchment Water Management Boards and NRM Boards

The Catchment Water Management Boards (River Murray, Patawalonga, Torrens, Northern Adelaide and Barossa, Arid Areas, South East, Eyre Peninsula and Onkaparinga) have three main legislative functions:

• to prepare and implement Catchment Water Management Plans;

• to provide advice to the Minister and Councils about water resource management; and

• to promote awareness and involvement in best practice water management.

Catchment Boards may fund or part-fund stormwater pollution prevention officers in their areas. For more information on Catchment Water Management Boards visit www.catchments.net.

The system of Catchment Management Boards is being revised and will be replaced with Regional Natural Resource Management (NRM) Boards - which will produce Natural Resources Management Plans for their respective regions. A NRM Reform Unit has been established by the State Government within the Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation to implement the NRM Integration Project. For more details, see www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/nrm_reform/.

Local Government

The important role of Local Government in promoting sustainability initiatives is acknowledged through the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment, Local Agenda 21 and the following sections of the Local Government Act 1999:


Principal role of Councils Section 6 (b) outlines Council’s roles to provide and co-ordinate various public services and facilities, and to develop its community and resources, in a socially just and ecologically sustainable manner.

Functions of Councils Section 7 (e) outlines Council’s functions to manage, develop, protect, restore, enhance and conserve the environment in an ecologically sustainable manner.

Objectives of Councils Section 8 (d) outlines Council’s objectives to give due weight in all its plans, policies and activities to regional, State and national objectives and strategies concerning the economic, social, physical and environmental development and management of the community.

Section 8 (f) outlines Council’s objectives to encourage sustainable development and the protection of the environment and to ensure a proper balance within its community between economic, social, environmental and cultural considerations.

A Statement of Joint Intent (SOJI) can be used to support the development of partnerships in Local Government to undertake water conservation initiatives. A sample SOJI is included in Section 7.

The International Council of Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) has developed a new program for Councils, the ICLEI Water Campaign. ICLEI will build on the work of the WCPP to facilitate councils undertaking the ICLEI Water Campaign.

The Water Campaign provides Local Governments with a framework for addressing their unique local water management concerns while contributing to an international effort to mitigate the current global water crisis. It was developed in response to the mandate that ICLEI was given by its membership in 1995 to develop an international campaign focusing on water.

The Water Campaign focuses on the need to improve dialogue between water managers and water users. This dialogue begins with improved water management within Local Government itself, and extends to the community and the watershed area. Improving Local Government service delivery places value on community input and participation. This participatory approach to water management recognises that modern water management solutions are increasingly nontechnical in their emphasis.

The ICLEI Water Campaign is based on the Local Government water code known as The Lisbon Principles. Further information on the Water Campaign is available in Section 7 (on CD).

For more information go to www.iclei.org/water.

10 Water Conservation Handbook

3S E C T I O N Planning for water conservation

Introduction

This Section provides some guidance on planning your approach to water conservation. If you have the time and resources, it is best to develop a comprehensive water conservation plan, including changing Council policies and plans, improving Council operations and undertaking community programs. You can use the planning framework provided here to develop your plan.

If you only have limited time and resources, start with some targeted initiatives that you can build into existing programs. You can use parts of the planning framework provided to design these initiatives.

Principles

The Water Conservation Partnership Project worked with Local Government to develop the five Best Practice Water Conservation Principles. These are based on the waste management hierarchy (avoid, reduce, re-use, recycle and disposal). Understanding the Principles may be useful in developing your Council’s approach to water conservation, they are outlined in Figure 6.

First Principle – Avoid This principle seeks to encourage, where possible, the use of waterless options where they exist. This is achieved through the use of alternative techniques to reduce dependency on reticulated water such as sweeping paths and pavements, instead of hosing them, and using dry composting toilets.

Second Principle – Reduce This principle seeks to reduce the amount of water use through:

• water efficient building and garden design which can be achieved through practices such as appropriate plant selection with preference to local indigenous species and efficient irrigation practices;

• the efficient use of locally collected and alternative water supplies, for example collecting and using rainwater for irrigation and internal building purposes;

• the installation of water efficient devices, such as low flow showerheads, dual flush toilets, low flow taps and front-loading washing machines; and

• adopting ‘water conservation management practices’ that educate residents and Council staff.

FIGURE 6 The water conservation management hierarchy

Where possible avoid use of water where waterless options exist

Reduce water use through the sustainable use of alternative water supplies and through reducing the amount of water used from reticulated supply

Recycling treated wastewater originating from reticulated supply

Disposal of un-recycled or untreatable wastewater in an appropriate manner

so as not to cause detrimental impact on the receiving

environment

FEEDBACK AND ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT

A continuous feedback loop on Council's implementation

of water conservation initiatives leading to adaptive management

AVOID WATER USE

REDUCE WATER USE

RECYCLE WATER

DISPOSAL OF WATER


Third Principle – Recycle This principle seeks to use wastewater or reclaimed water from one application such as wastewater treatment for another application. When using recycled water, Councils must ensure that they comply with the Environment Protection Policy 2003 (Water Quality).

Fourth Principle – Disposal This principle seeks to ensure that the disposal of water or treated wastewater that is not recycled or reused does not cause degradation of catchment, coastal, marine or terrestrial environments. This principle should be employed as a last resort.

Feedback and Adaptive Management Feedback and adaptive management is a continuous approach used by Councils in determining the success of implementation of the best practice principles.

Refer to Section 7 on the CD for a full description of the Best Practice Water Conservation Principles.

The Planning Process

Developing a plan for your Council’s approach to water conservation will assist you to take a strategic and systematic approach to the business of saving water. Your plan will help you to gain support for water conservation initiatives within your Council and the community and to achieve the most significant outcomes possible given your level of resources. A well-developed plan will help to establish shared expectations, roles and responsibilities and generate ownership.

It is useful to consider your plan as a ‘living’ document. A good plan is reviewed and modified on a regular basis and used to report on progress, highlight successes and identify areas for improvement.

The following generic planning process is suitable for a comprehensive water conservation plan, but the areas of emphasis and level of detail that you put into your plan will depend on the size and structure of your Council, the available funds and human resources and your particular water conservation goals. You may wish to refer to more specific approaches such as the implementation of the Best Practice Water Conservation Principles or the ICLEI Water Campaign.

1. Developing your approach

This part of the planning process will determine your overall approach to water conservation.

What is the context for water conservation in your Council? The water conservation initiatives you decide to develop and implement will depend on many factors including the location of your Council, the level of senior management support for water conservation initiatives and the funding available. It is worth considering your Council’s context by thinking about questions such as:

• is water conservation important in your Council?

• how is water conservation incorporated into existing Council plans and operations (if at all)?

• are there any specific drivers or anticipated circumstances that will heighten the importance of water conservation in your Council?

• can you realise any synergies between delivering stated Council objectives (such as Strategic Goals) and water conservation initiatives?

• how can Council address the different levels of water restriction?

Some of the drivers for promoting water conservation at your Council might include:

• water supply security and/or reliability;

• constraints on water treatment/supply, wastewater treatment, peak demand (i.e. the demand for water on hot, dry days);

• flood mitigation through stormwater detention;

• community service (e.g. through the provision of information and low-cost products and services to householders);

• water quality issues;

• drought response/management; and

• demonstrating Council’s commitment to sustainable development.

It is valuable to identify where water conservation may link to, or generate benefits for, other programs, initiatives or objectives being implemented by your Council (for example, greenhouse programs, such as Cities for Climate Protection, community environmental education programs or infrastructure upgrades). This will increase both opportunities for support and funding for water conservation initiatives.

Where will your approach to water conservation within the Council exist?


You need to decide whether you will develop a separate water conservation plan or whether you will integrate water conservation into other Council planning processes. For example, your approach to water conservation could be integrated into your Environmental Management Plan.

Assess resources At this stage you should make a preliminary assessment of the human and financial resources that are likely to be available for Water Conservation Plans and initiatives. This is where you can begin to understand the scope of your plan.

2. Preliminary approval

This stage of the planning process outlines what you will need to consider in seeking approval for your approach to water conservation.

Identify internal partners Developing and implementing water conservation initiatives by yourself is hard work. If possible you should identify members of staff to work with. This could include, for example:

• a member of senior management (or an elected member) with a genuine level of commitment to supporting water conservation initiatives; or

• a cross-functional team of Council staff who can work with you to develop and implement water conservation initiatives across Council and within the community.

Create a business case for involvement To obtain approval for developing and implementing your approach to water conservation you may need to put together a business case for Council senior management (and elected members) stating the broad goals of the Water Conservation Plan and the resources that will be required.

Gain approval to proceed Depending on the scope of your plan you may need approval and commitment from senior management (and possibly elected members). This could include:

• formal approval of staff-time to work on the project;

• initial funding to undertake any investigations required; and

• a commitment to invest in identified projects (within agreed capital costs and returns on investment, where appropriate).

Without this commitment, initial time and funds may be wasted.

3. Investigation and data collection

This stage of the planning process provides the structure and background that will help you select and develop specific programs.

Develop an overview of water conservation initiatives You can learn a lot from water conservation programs that have been undertaken elsewhere. You will find case studies throughout this Handbook and you can use your Local Government networks. However, each Council is unique and you should also investigate what has already been done within your Council. This will be important for maintaining your credibility within Council.

Collect data In planning your approach to water conservation it is crucial to understand how much water is used, where, by whom and how. Council water use data is available from SA Water – refer to Section 5 (page 23) for details. Water data specific to your Council can be broken down into residential, non-residential and commercial sectors. The non-residential data includes Council, State Government and industrial water use.

Relevant data to collect might include:

• average household usage (indoor and outdoor, or by end-use);

• Council consumption (buildings, facilities, parks and grounds);

• population growth and the projected demand for water (and possible implications);

• other Council information: demographics, area, etc;

• water supply source(s) cost of water, groundwater information etc.;

• wastewater treatment, recycling, effluent discharges, water quality, costs; and

• stormwater volumes, infrastructure costs, upgrade requirements etc.

It is important to identify the usage by sector in each Council, so that the right priorities are targeted. For example in the City of Port Adelaide Enfield, two thirds of water consumption is by the commercial and industrial sectors, so education programs focussed purely on residential use may have minimal impact on water consumption.

Once you have collected this data you can start to identify water conservation opportunities that will be most effective and give ‘value for money’.


For example, if outdoor water use in your area is high, then a program targeted at this will have the greatest potential for saving water. Current consumption data may also be necessary for setting and monitoring targets.

Work with stakeholders The value of your plan, and the success of its implementation, will be strengthened by involving the community and other stakeholders in its development. This involvement is the key to capacity building, which will support, promote, contribute to and sustain your Water Conservation Plan. The effort you put into involving stakeholders will depend on the scope of your plan.

It will be important to include some stakeholder groups directly in the process, while others may just be kept informed. Potential stakeholders to include in the development of your plan are outlined in Table 1.

Understanding stakeholders is critical to designing and implementing appropriate and effective water conservation programs. This involves understanding who will influence the implementation of your Plan, their level of understanding, values, perception and practices in relation to water conservation, and how you can ensure they support your goals. Gathering knowledge about your community is explored further in Section 6.

Select and design water conservation initiatives The range of water conservation programs are outlined as follows:

1. Changing Council plans and policies – refer to Section 4 (page 17 ) for details.

2. Saving water in Council operations – refer to Section 5 (page 21) for details.

3. Community programs – refer to Section 6 (page 37) for details.

When reviewing and selecting programs, assess which are most strategic for your Council in terms of:

• links to your Strategic/Corporate Plan;

• achieving significant reductions in water use;

• the provision of community services;

• establishing partnerships with government bodies and the private sector; and

• promoting your Council as responsible.

The most effective Water Conservation Plans are generally implemented through a variety of program types. If you have limited resources, it is best to focus on one or two initial programs.

TABLE 1 Possible stakeholders in water conservation

Staff and elected members Community representatives

• Management, staff and elected members • Local environment groups & branches of

• Finance, corporate support, grounds staff, State/National groups

property and facilities management, • Schoolsprocurement etc • Education (e.g. TAFE)

• Community groups (e.g. Lions Club, Rotary)

• Catchment groups

Private sector Government bodies

• Council’s contractors • Water suppliers (wholesale and retail) (SA Water)

• Local retailers of water using products (e.g. nurseries, garden supplies & irrigation equipment specialists)

• State Government agencies (Department for Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation etc)

•

•

Hardware retail outlets

Electrical retail outlets (e.g. washing machines, dishwashers)

•

•

Federal Government agencies (Environment Australia, Australian Greenhouse Office etc)

Catchment Water Management Boards

• Manufacturers / importers of water using products

• Landscape businesses

• Local builders and developers

• Energy suppliers


front loading washing machine with an energy rating of four stars or above. The program was run in partnership with the NSW Sustainable Energy Development Authority and the local energy

to the rebate. Local electrical goods retail outlets participated in the program.

The program was so successful that some outlets produced their own promotional material, including window displays, or supplemented the

Since the start of the program there has been interest from both washing machine manufacturers and retailers to join the partnership and contribute to the rebate. For further information contact John Rutledge on (02) 6621 8055.

CASE STUDY: Rous Water

Rous Water, a bulk water supplier in northern NSW, initiated a program offering householders a $150 rebate on the purchase of a water efficient

provider NorthPower, with each contributing $50

offer with additional ‘cash back’ on some brands.

4. Design

At this stage of the planning process you can fully develop specific water conservation initiatives.

Do a detailed design Refer to Sections 4, 5 and 6 for details on changing Council policies and plans, improving Council operations and undertaking community programs respectively. Choose the programs that will suit your circumstances and adapt them to the resources and context of your Council.

Set targets Targets specific to each initiative may be set. Targetsshould be SMART:

Specific: clearly state what you aim to achieve.Measurable: ensure that the data is available and thatsystems are in place to manage the data.Achievable: assess if it is possible to meet the goalwith the available resources and timeframe.Realistic: set targets that are possible to achieve for thetype of program you are implementing.Timely: set a timeframe for achieving each target andgoal, and monitor on a regular basis.

Seek formal approval At this stage you may need to seek approval to expend funds on the delivery of the Water Conservation Plan Plan. You should have enough information by this stage to provide costs, benefits and a detailed plan. You may also be able to apply for external funding through the Office of Local Government, Local Government Association, National Heritage Trust, Community Development Grants, Catchment Water Management Boards (or NRM Boards) etc.

5. Implementation

This is the important part! Your plan should provide you with the steps to follow through the implementation phase. However, during the implementation phase you will most likely need to adjust your plan to take advantages of opportunities as they arise and to manage unforeseen events.

Remember that implementing your plan is what you should spend most of your time doing. It is important to find the right balance between planning and action.

It is likely that your Council will already have management systems or processes in place, and you should integrate your plan with these where possible.

Manage and review data Data management is the most commonly neglected part of water conservation programs. It is crucial to set up a tailored data management system that collects water use data as it is generated, to monitor the success of water conservation initiatives.

The water use data should be reviewed regularly to:

• ensure that water conservation initiatives that have been implemented are meeting their predicted savings; and

• identify any unexpected changes in use as this enables quick rectification if required (for example, if there are system leaks).

When analysing water use data, you will need to take climate variability and varied usage patterns into account. Water savings may not be reflected initially in the water use data. For example, if you implement water saving initiatives during an unusually hot year (as in 2002), consumption may appear to increase when water is still being saved relatively speaking


because consumption would have been even higher if you had done nothing. It is possible to correct your data for climate and usage variations, but this is not straightforward and you should seek professional assistance if this is of interest to you.

It is crucial to manage your data well (both in terms of water and budgets) in order to demonstrate savings to management and elected members.

Manage roles and responsibilities To generate shared expectations and ownership it is important to define the roles and responsibilities of Council staff and management, and other stakeholders involved in your Water Conservation Plan. Defining roles and responsibilities also strengthens commitment through a sense of accountability.

Communication is crucial Regular updates should be provided to management, elected members, staff, stakeholders and the community to inform them about progress. These updates can go beyond reports and be in the form of staff training and site visits.

When addressing communication issues, consider not only what information needs to be communicated, but also the audience, the most appropriate communication media (e.g. newsletters, email) and necessary frequency.

6. Review – monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring your plan and individual programs is essential to ensure you are on track to meeting goals and targets. It ensures that all the hard work of designing and implementing water conservation initiatives is generating benefits, as well as providing an opportunity to fine-tune and improve programs. In some instances, particularly for larger, more costly programs, it may be appropriate to seek an independent, specialist evaluation.

Program evaluation can be used to:

• influence elected members, senior management and other Council staff, and funding bodies;

• build community capacity and engage communities;

• communicate about your successes or failures;

• ensure accountability for your work; and

• reflect on and improve the program.

Plan your evaluation and monitoring at the outset, otherwise you may not be able to get the data or information you need.

There are several ways to assess the effectiveness of water conservation programs, including:

• surveys, questionnaires and feedback forms;

• statistical analysis;

• cost-benefit analysis;

• participation (or uptake) rates; and

• the amount of positive publicity received.

It is critical to identify early in the planning process what information or data will need to be collected or maintained in order to monitor the effectiveness of programs. It is better to gather more information than less, as it is often impossible to collect it after the program has finished.

Celebrate! And communicate your success In conducting programs for water conservation, it is important to celebrate your successes.

Communicate the success of your programs through Council internal and external processes, for example:

• Council internal newsletters or via an internal email;

• at a Council meeting or committee meeting (for example, the environment committee);

• Council’s state of the environment report (if you have one);

• meetings with managers and/or directors;

• your Council’s page in local newspapers;

• on Council’s web page;

• at Council stalls at festivals and fairs; and

• public events with the media (for example, when new rainwater tanks are installed in community facilities).

You could also ask any stakeholders, sponsors or community groups to include information on the program in their newsletters and publications as well as display information in libraries and customer service centres.


4S E C T I O N Changing Council policiesand plans

Introduction

One of the most effective mechanisms to achieve and promote water conservation outcomes in the broader community is via the various regulatory, planning and policy tools that Councils are responsible for developing and administering. Water conservation can be integrated into existing frameworks through Strategic Management Plans, Development Plans and internal policies and operations.

Understanding your Council’s corporate and community water consumption, relevant legislation, demographics and community opinion will help you to provide justification for changes to your Council’s policies and plans.

Figure 7 on page 20 depicts a typical Council Strategic and Policy structure. It may be useful to draw this diagram for your organisation and consider the changes necessary to facilitate water conservation.

Strategic Management Plans

All Councils are required by the Local Government Act 1999 to prepare Strategic Management Plans, that should provide direction and accountability in Council achieving its functions and responsibilities under the Act. These functions include ‘to manage, develop, protect, restore, enhance and conserve the environment in an ecologically sustainable manner’, and to ‘seek to facilitate sustainable development and the protection of the environment’. Environmental and natural resource management issues (including water conservation) are now a core statutory focus for Councils, and should be reflected in Council’s strategic planning processes and documents.

Councils also prepare profession-specific strategic management plans, which can include water conservation considerations.

Development Plans

Councils administer urban planning policies and regulate development through reference to a Development Plan that is prepared for each Council area.

Regular reviews of Councils’ Development Plans are required to be undertaken, via ‘Section 30 Reviews’ under the Development Act 1993. Councils can prepare Plan Amendment Reports (PARs) to update or amend each Plan, based on detailed investigations and consultations with the broad community. Where it is identified that water conservation has become an issue to be incorporated into planning policy, each Council can, via a PAR, include appropriate planning provisions in its Plan to promote or mandate particular water conservation strategies that are appropriate for its Council area. These provisions can then be applied to new developments in the Council area. Encouraging water sensitive urban design is an important issue for Local Government.

Planning provisions to reduce water (and energy) consumption through the planning and regulatory framework may include requiring or encouraging well-designed rainwater collection systems in new developments, and requiring existing buildings that are being renovated to be fitted with water efficient devices. The Building Code of Australia is also an important tool, particularly regarding the provision of water efficient fittings in new buildings, such as the standard requirement for dual flush toilets.

The State Government can prepare a Ministerial PAR that will, on adoption, be applied to all or selected Council Development Plans in a synchronised way across the State.

Marrickville City Council (NSW)

Marrickville Development Control Plan No 32 –

developments and in alterations and additions

controls are dual flush toilets and AAA rated

Assessment are required for major developments. For further information refer to Section 7 on CD.

CASE STUDY:

Energy Smart Water Wise contains requirements for energy and water efficiency in both new

to existing buildings. The main water efficiency

water fixtures. A Comprehensive Water Cycle Assessment and a Water Efficient Landscaping


Water conservation strategies that are appropriate to Council could therefore be implemented via a Ministerial PAR. Local Government can collaborate with the State Government (Planning SA) to develop Ministerial PARs to address the issue on a regional or State-wide basis, as well as amending its own Development Plan to reflect the particular needs and opportunities of its Council area.

Internal policies and procedures

Councils can integrate water conservation into day-to-day business through altering internal policies and procedures to incorporate water conservation.

For example, water conservation considerations can be incorporated into Purchasing and Procurement Policies and Standard Operating Procedures.

Alterations to the Purchasing and Procurement Policy can reduce the environmental impacts of goods and services purchased by Council. Some Councils include an overall environment statement within this policy, referring to a number of key outcomes such as water conservation, pollution prevention, minimising and recycling wastes and minimising greenhouse gas emissions. For example, changes to this policy may lead to your road reconstruction contractor using machinery that vacuums up and recycles the water used in the wet saw road cutting process. The more specific you can be about how environmental impacts are to be minimised the better.

Standard Operating Procedures are the procedures written to govern many Council activities. These were often written initially due to the need to make procedures clear for new staff members and/or the need to protect staff from Occupational Health Safety and Welfare risks. These procedures may be changed to incorporate water conservation outcomes. For example, an irrigation procedure may be altered so that sprinklers are only operated between certain times. Obviously these changes should only be made in consultation with the relevant managers and staff. To change these procedures in a systematic, holistic, environmental way some Councils have chosen to undertake an Environmental Management System.

Once you have established good practices, altering policies and procedures to reflect this is a good way to ensure that water conservation gains are maintained.

Stormwater

Stormwater is a key area for Council action with regard to water conservation.

South Australia

Permanent water restrictions in South Australia were enacted on 26 October 2003 and predicted to result in a maximum reduction of 20% of water use across the board (including irrigators,

There will be four levels of restriction addressing:

• private gardens, lawns, paved areas, sports grounds and recreation areas;

• fountains, ponds, pools and spas;

• vehicle washing, building development and construction activities; and

• farm dams and rainwater tanks, commercial nurseries, garden centres and poultry sheds.

program and the level of restrictions will be determined based on seasonal variations in demand, river levels and rainfall. Refer to

.

CASE STUDY:

industry, residential and government).

SA Water has begun a community education

www.sawater.com.au/restrictions/index.html

2003. Eighteen months community consultation into the future of the region's water supply

the consultation process there was overwhelming support for water conservation. The by-law is a permanent measure to conserve water now and for future generations. It involves restrictions on watering gardens, cleaning vehicles, cleaning driveways and paths and construction activities. For further details refer to Section 7 on CD.

CASE STUDY: Barwon Water

Barwon Water is the first Victorian water authority to introduce a Water Conservation Bylaw, which came into effect from 1 February

preceded the by-law’s introduction. Throughout

Stormwater Infrastructure Planning Councils are largely responsible for the planning, development and maintenance of stormwater infrastructure within their areas. There are opportunities to incorporate water conservation into the planning for new infrastructure, and in the ongoing upgrades and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure. Where greenfield development is occurring (land that has previously been undeveloped or has been used for agricultural purposes) there are enormous opportunities for Councils to work with developers in designing stormwater master plans that allow both stormwater management, and water collection and harvesting ( if site conditions allow).


The 2002 Ministerial PAR for Stormwater and related documents Planning SA has prepared a Stormwater Infrastructure Planning package to promote an integrated approach to catchment management. The package includes:

• Planning Bulletin: Urban Stormwater Infrastructure to assist Councils in the process of policy development at the level of zone or policy area by raising awareness and generating debate among stakeholders on catchment water management policy issues;

• Guidelines for Urban Stormwater Management; and

• Draft Minister's Specification: On-Site Retention of Stormwater which is a technical standard to provide cost effective technical solutions to the requirements for on-site retention and detention of stormwater.

Councils located wholly or partly within the catchment areas of the Patawalonga and the Torrens Catchment Water Management Boards are also affected by the Stormwater in Urban Areas Plan Amendment (November, 2002). This Plan Amendment Report provides a development assessment framework to facilitate appropriate management of stormwater, and includes some broad principles regarding water conservation.

The PAR has been incorporated into the relevant Development Plans. For more information, the resources listed above can be accessed from Planning SA’s website at www.planning.sa.gov.au/publications or you can contact Malcolm Govett at Planning SA by telephone (08) 8204 8394 or email [email protected]. gov.au.

The State Government’s Guidelines for Urban Stormwater Management include the recommendation for Councils to prepare Urban Stormwater Master plans which would allow the integration of stormwater infrastructure planning, urban land use plannin, and environmental planning into a single long term Plan.

Urban Stormwater Master Plans

The Cities of Port Adelaide Enfield, Charles Sturt

developing detailed integrated Urban Stormwater Master Plans during 2002–05 for each of the 23 independent water sub-catchments in the north-west Adelaide region. These will include investigations and the identification of opportunities regarding the best mix of planning, engineering and environmental policies and strategies in each sub-catchment to achieve a range of desired outcomes, including improved water quality and conservation. For further information contact

CASE STUDY:

and Prospect, supported by the Torrens Catchment Water Management Board, are

Verity Sanders (08) 8405 6765.


FIGURE 7 Council policies and plans related to water management

Policy Planners, Environment Planners or Strategic

Negotiation with major developers at Master Planning stage regarding water conservation opportunities to be incorporated into major developments

Both LESs and LEPs can include provisions for water conservation

Require water conservation measures in new developments or modifications (if specified in the Development Plan)

Can incorporate water conservation into infrastructure design and construction

Parks plans of management Incorporate water conservation measures into parks plans of management

community education programs about water conservation

Council Management Plan and Budget

Aims and funding related to water conservation should be included in your management plan and budget

Allocate funding for a water demand management strategy or other major works

Reducing water use in Council operations will save the council money

Social/Community Plan

Social planners

Community education or community cultural development programs about water conservation can be undertaken with the assistance of social planners

Councils can report on water conservation activities in their state of the environment report

Built Environment and Environmental Design

Planning staff

Local Environment Strategy (LES) Local Environmental Plan (LEP)

Development Approvals and Control

Assessments staff

Technical or Engineering Planning

Infrastructure and Asset Plans

Parks and Gardens

Outdoor staff

Teach outdoor staff about water conserving practices

Natural Environment

Environment staff

Environment Management Systems (EMS) Water conservation measures should be part of any Council’s EMS

Community education programs Environment officers can plan and implement

and officers, e.g. youth officer

State of the Environment Reporting


5S E C T I O N How to conserve water inCouncil operations

Introduction

It is important for Councils to lead by example in implementing water conservation measures. This will save Council money, give staff experience in implementing water conservation initiatives and gain the respect of local residents. Councils are in an authoritative and unique position both to change their own operational practices and to influence others to do the same through positive role modelling.

This Section provides guidance on conserving water in Local Government parks and gardens, buildings and other facilities.

Planning sheets are provided for: 1. undertaking a water audit;2. irrigation water use; 3. facilty water use;4. alternative water supplies; and5. construction and refurbishment.

Approaches

Conserving water within Council operations may be undertaken through a structured approach as part of an Environmental Management System, Environmental Improvement Program or Water Conservation Plan. Alternatively, specific water saving initiatives may be undertaken as opportunities arise.

As part of a structured approach a water audit is often undertaken by either in-house staff or qualified, external organisations. The role of the audit is to assess water collection, use and disposal and to identify opportunities for water conservation. However, a water audit is only part of the process. As a stand-alone activity, audits do not deliver results. You need to secure management support for the implementation phase of the program before you undertake an audit – refer to Section 3 for details. Planning sheet 1 details how to conduct a water audit. The audit results should help you to set targets for water use reduction within your Council operations.

There are many approaches to the implementation of water conservation initiatives developed from the audit process. These include:

• clumping together the initiatives arising from the audit for the purposes of a budget bid. The advantages of this approach are that you can seek approval for a comprehensive package of measures, include economically marginal initiatives together with high return initiatives to give an overall return on investment that is acceptable, and ensure a high-level of integration between the measures.

• implementing some high return initiatives immediately. The advantage of this approach is that you can quickly demonstrate the value of water conservation to senior managers, elected members and staff and build further support.

When deciding what actions to take, consider initiatives beyond capital projects, for example, training staff. In many cases, changing policies and procedures (including Contracting and Procurement Policies) can be effective and lead to far-reaching water conservation measures. Refer to Section 4: Changing Council policies and plans (page 17).

It is crucial to manage your water and cost saving data well (both in terms of water and budgets) in order to demonstrate savings to management and elected members. Refer to Section 3 (page 13) for details.

A different approach – using an Energy and Water Performance Contract

An alternative way to address water conservation is through an Energy and Water Performance Contract. This involves the engagement of a third party to improve the efficiency of a facility (or facilities). The contractor examines the facility, evaluates the level of savings that could be achieved and then offers to implement the project and guarantee the savings over a specified term. For further information on Energy and Water Performance Contracting see www.aepca.asn.au.


Hornsby Shire Council

Hornsby Shire Council has implemented

Government

eliminating unused water systems, installing tap flow controllers, fitting flush optimisers to toilet cisterns and fitting keyed service taps. Guaranteed savings from the project are a reduction in energy use of 25 per cent and water use of six per cent, with total cost savings of $180 000 pa. For further information contact Rima Lauge-Kristensen (02) 9847 6545.

CASE STUDY:

Australia’s most comprehensive Local Energy and Water Performance

Contract throughout Council’s buildings and parks. Water conservation measures include


Planning Sheet 1

1 Undertaking a Water Audit

Introduction A water audit can be undertaken in-house or by a qualified, external organisation. The purpose of the audit is to assess how water is collected, used and disposed and thereby to identify opportunities to conserve water. A water audit can range from a broad overview to a detailed study. You may choose to focus on one large facility, clump similar facilities together or cover all facilities.

Audits need to be focussed as much on the organisational structure and responsibilities as on technical solutions. Each site and organisation is different and presents unique opportunities. In most organisations individuals have already identified opportunities for improvement and staff should be involved in the audit through a participatory process. This improves the quality of the audit and also builds ownership of the recommendations within the organisation.

Step 1 Assess water collection, use and disposal (and costs)

The first step is to investigate your Council’s water supply, usage and disposal. You will need to research how much water your Council uses, from what sources and at what unit cost it is provided.

Lismore City Council

Lismore City Council has developed and

Conservation Strategy which includes Authority

own house in order’. Refer to Section 7 on CD for

CASE STUDY:

implemented a comprehensive Water

Water Use Conservation, i.e. getting ‘Council's

the detailed case study.

For mains water, the amount of water used by each meter and the unit cost can be found on your water utility bills. In many Councils, accounts paid are filed by date and uncovering your water bills may be a difficult and frustrating process. If this is the case, SA Water can provide data on request. It is best to collect five years’ data because this enables you to investigate seasonal trends. Contact SA Water on (08) 8207 7739.

Other water sources include rainwater, stormwater, bottled water, groundwater, treated greywater and reclaimed effluent.

Often it will be difficult to obtain water use data from these sources and in many cases water will be provided ‘free’ of charge – be sure to investigate further as there are often costs that are overlooked. Where these supplies are pumped you may be able to estimate supply costs using fuel/electricity and maintenance charges and volumes from pump run times. Check if your Council uses bottled water, as it comes at a significant cost and may be replaced with rainwater in some cases.

It is also important to investigate what happens to ‘used’ water. How is it disposed of? Water disposal can cause significant downstream environmental impacts and in some cases there is a cost to dispose of used water. For example, water used inside a building ends up in the sewer, requires treatment and often has significant impacts associated with disposal.

Once you have the required data:

• determine the average annual water usage and disposal costs for each facility and prioritise based on usage and cost; and

• investigate seasonal patterns of water usage and other trends or events within each facility by charting usage against time.

You may want to benchmark water consumption against similar facilities. This will only be useful if there is data available that is specific to the type of the facility you are auditing. Note that benchmarking is often complex owing to differing usage patterns, climate zones etc.

Figure 8 shows the water use of an urban Council depot over the last two and a half years.

FIGURE 8 Example chart of water use at an urban Council depot

WA

TER

USE

(kL

)

300

250

200

150 Jul 00 Jan 01 Jul 01 Jan 02 Jul 02 Jan 03

DATE


Step 2 Assess the breakdown of water use

The next step is to estimate the different types of water use within each facility. In a perfect world all water using fixtures and equipment would be sub-metered and this task would be easy. In practice, assessing the water use breakdown is based on assumptions made about (or occasionally measurements of) fixture/ equipment usage and volumes/flowrates and then used to generate the water use breakdown.

FIGURE 9 Example breakdown of water use in a Council office building

participatory environmental audit of Council facilities. After analysing the data, the consultants who performed the audit held a workshop with a cross-organisational group of

were investigated and prioritised and further workshops have presented the findings and developed implementation pathways. This approach aimed at drawing on the extensive experience within Council and building ownership of the outcomes. For further information contact Rocky Callisto (08) 8752 1044, .

CASE STUDY: Tatiara District Council

In 2003 Tatiara District Council undertook a

staff from within Council. Opportunities raised

[email protected]

WCs 40% Shower 5% Taps 31%

Urinals 23% Leaks 1%

Step 3 Investigate opportunities

At this stage, opportunities for water conservation can be identified and assessed. There are numerous opportunities for water conservation in Councils, many of which are discussed in the following Planning Sheets. You can use the Best Practice Water Conservation Principles to guide your actions – refer to Section 3 for details.

Through the audit process a range of opportunities will be identified. These should be categorised to assist in planning the implementation phase. For example:

Q quick wins that can be implemented immediately (excellent returns with no or minimal capital outlay);

C attractive opportunities requiring some capital outlay (senior management approval may be required);

L less attractive returns, lower priority initiatives; and

I initiatives requiring further investigation.


Planning Sheet 2

Irrigation water use2 Introduction

Most water used directly by Councils is for the irrigation of parklands, reserves, gardens, ovals and golf courses etc.

The Cities of Port Adelaide Enfield and Adelaide are the only Councils using mains water for irrigation that are not charged for water used on parklands. SA Water bills the State Government for the water.

Irrigation is a specialist field and different irrigation methods are appropriate for different areas. You will need to work with your parks and gardens or grounds manager (or equivalent) to decide the best action to take to reduce irrigation water use. These staff often have extensive experience that will significantly increase the chance of your program being successful.

In general, the options to consider in reducing irrigation mains water use are:

1. choosing areas to receive less irrigation;

2. efficient irrigation;

3. water efficient landscaping; and

4. using alternative supplies of water (refer to Planning Sheet 4).

1. Choosing areas to receive less (or no) irrigation

Maintaining lush, green lawns and gardens requires water. At the most fundamental level you can investigate reducing the amount of lawn and/or high water using gardens within your Council and changing the type or reducing the quality of selected lawn areas. These options need to be carefully negotiated with stakeholders within Council and the community, as there are likely to be strong opinions on the way things should be done in this area. There is a planning role here vis-à-vis clearly defining the function of individual open space areas.

Potential issues include perceived negative changes to the aesthetics of parks and gardens and loss of amenity in public spaces. In addition, changes to irrigation water use are likely to involve changes to the working practices of grounds staff so they need to be involved throughout the process. Therefore, a consultative approach to changing irrigation water use is essential. You can strengthen your case if you can demonstrate how much water will be saved (dollars and litres), the benefits to the environment and that low water use areas can be aesthetically pleasing.

2. Efficient irrigation

Design All efficient irrigation systems, regardless of the technology used, start with a good design. In the field there are examples where good technology has been used but the design was so poor that no amount of management could make up for its inefficiencies. The fundamental reason for this problem is that systems are bought on capital price and not on the basis of a net present value over the life of the system.

Water efficient irrigation systems are designed for the particular plant, soil and site combination under consideration. A good design is critical and Councils should investigate developing a good specification that takes into account the annual operating costs as well as the initial capital cost i.e. a lifecycle costing approach.

The Irrigation Association of Australia (IAA) www.irrigation.org.au/ provides contact details for all Australian and New Zealand IAA qualified Certified Irrigation Designers.

Management Correct management by properly trained and qualified staff is essential for efficient irrigation. When drip irrigation systems were first installed in many locations, management was not capable of operating them correctly so systems were left on for far too long. In agriculture, a well-managed gravity fed system can be more efficient than a high-tech drip system.

Training staff on irrigation system auditing and scheduling is a key step that Councils can take.

Irrigation training at five local Councils

Playford, Adelaide, Charles Sturt, Salisbury and

auditing and scheduling irrigation systems through the Irrigation Association of Australia. For further information contact Jeremy Cape, CSIRO, , (08) 8303 8552.

CASE STUDY:

In November 2002, thirty staff from the Cities of

Tea Tree Gully completed two-days training on

[email protected]


Technology Only after the design and management are correct should suggestions about the various available technologies be made. System scheduling should be based on the objective measurement of plant water needs, not according to timers.

Drip irrigation is the most effective way of delivering water where it is needed with minimal losses. However, drip systems may not be suitable for a specified application in some cases:

• where drip lines need to be close to the surface they may be easily damaged in some applications;

• where soils in South Australia have a high clay content (as often occurs) distribution problems may be experienced with drip systems; and

• where the cost of replacing sprinkler equipment is prohibitive.

Spray irrigation is the most common form of irrigation and can be used more efficiently by:

• testing monthly for sticking valves;

• inspecting regularly to confirm the units are functioning correctly;

• ensuring uniformity of coverage; and

• avoiding runoff through intermittent watering cycles - for example, if 30 minutes watering is required for a park this can be applied in three 10 minute cycles at one hour intervals.

Control There is a balance to be reached between manual and automatic control. Fully manual control tends to result in wastage, as grounds staff cannot be everywhere at

once when it is raining to turn sprinklers off. Fully automatic control often has reliability issues and can be disempowering for staff on the ground. A certain amount of on-the-ground work appears to be required with the balance, between automatic and manual control depending on the specific situation.

Basic irrigation control strategies include watering during the evening or early morning to minimise evaporation losses where possible, and watering up to and not beyond the point of field capacity, i.e. where any more water applied would drain out of the soil through gravity, runoff or remain on the surface. In addition, vandal-proof taps in parks and gardens are excellent water savers. Where taps are used for service purposes only they can be key locked.

Good irrigation control is a complex issue dependent on many factors. For example:

• watering may be required in the heat of the day for new plantings, cricket pitches and where an oval is served by multiple lines from one supply;

• systems are often controlled to turn off at a rainfall setpoint which means that the sprinklers will operate until the rainfall reaches this setpoint or the watering cycle is complete as many rain events provide insufficient water; and

• excess water may be applied to specific areas for pest treatment purposes, in preference to chemical spraying.

Therefore, it is best to ask before making conclusions about your Council watering practices.

It is important to discuss with SA Water appropriate

City of Unley

Michael Howley has 25 years experience with

Irrigation is an important part of horticulture, but it

cut the irrigation back once the soil temperature

starts to drop below the mid-twenties. This ensures

that the turf is put out of its comfort zone, allowing

the soil to dry to the point that when we receive

point. During winter months the controllers are set

for two minutes each line once a fortnight to flush

the valves and sprinklers. This maintains the

irrigation equipment in a serviceable state.

Michael has installed rain sensors (approximately $50 each) at larger sites. These are linked to

automatically when a specified setpoint of rainfall is recorded (usually greater than 10mm, but altered with the season). The irrigation controls are remote controllable within 1km of each site.

, 0413 449 621.

CASE STUDY:

irrigation at the City of Unley. He says,

can be expensive if not monitored correctly. As part

of my programming of Unley Council’s controllers I

the winter rains the soil hasn’t reached saturation

controls to turn off the irrigation system

For further information contact Michael Howley, Team Leader, Sport Recreation Parks & Gardens, City of Unley, [email protected]


watering times and when restrictions are in place, and if necessary to obtain an exemption for watering outside of the required times.

3. Water efficient landscaping

Water efficient landscaping is using plants and garden designs that look attractive and use little water. Your Council landscape gardeners may have experience with water efficient landscaping. If not, think about how opportunities could be created for them to learn about water efficient landscaping.

In designing Council gardens you could consider:

• minimising the area of lawns, flower beds and high water using plants;

• locating plants with similar water needs together;

• reducing surface run-off by considering elevations and flow patterns; and

• avoid planting trees and shrubs where they can cause damage to pipework, paths or buildings.

Good management will make your gardens and parks healthier and reduce their water requirements.

One of the keys is mulching. Mulching can reduce irrigation water use by as much as 70 per cent. A 50 mm layer of organic mulch spread over garden beds will break down slowly and feed plants, restrict weed growth, prevent wind and water erosion, and shade the ground. Allow a space around the stems and trunks of plants.

Prepare soil before planting. Organic matter mixed through the top layer will dramatically improve both water and nutrient holding capacity. Do not force feed plants with large amounts of strong fertilisers. These produce lush growth that has a high water transpiration rate and is more prone to insect and fungal attack. Compost and slow release fertilisers are better.

Irrigating lawns accounts for the bulk of water use. Seek professional advice regarding species and management. Some ‘low water use’ species are not suitable for the South Australian climate and perform poorly. Select plant species suitable for the local area and soil type that have low water use requirements.

There are many excellent references available. For example, refer to:

• Macdonald G, Peate N, Talbot A, 1997 Grow What Where, Lothian Books.

• Handreck, K ,1993 Gardening Down-under: Better Soils & Potting Mixes for Better Gardens, CSIRO Publications.

• SA Water website fact sheets at www.sawater.com.au/.



Planning Sheet 3

Facility water use3 Introduction

Many of the opportunities for water conservation within Council owned and/or operated facilities are similar to opportunities in the home. However, water usage from fixtures such as taps and showers is much more variable than within households.

Swimming pools

Swimming pools are large water users. Water leakage from pools can be a significant issue, as demonstrated in the following case study. The other main opportunity is to use a pool cover to minimise evaporation losses – this also reduces heat loss from the pool (and energy requirements for pool heating).

City of Unley

The City of Unley closed its Olympic swimming pool after experiencing significant leakage problems. The pool had a capacity of around 1 million litres and was built in the 1960s (along with many other pools in Adelaide). It was temporarily shut after losses of up to 300 000 litres/day were noted from the drop in the water level of the pool. Attempts were made to patch the pool but the water losses were still excessive.

(08) 8372 5163.

CASE STUDY:

For further information contact Chris Tually

Toilets

Many flush toilets in Council facilities are used frequently. Opportunities for water conservation in toilets include repairing leaks and reducing flush volume by installing dual flush cisterns or cistern weights. Refer to Section 7 (on CD) for more information.

You could also consider installing waterless composting toilets, particularly in new facilities and rural and remote areas. Many approved composting toilet systems are now available. They have been successfully used in National Parks (such as Flinders Chase and the Coorong) with good public response and low maintenance requirements. Refer to Section 7 (on CD) for approval requirements for composting toilets.

Showerheads

Frequency of shower use in Council facilities varies considerably, ranging from rarely to multiple daily uses, depending on the facility. Installing low-flow showerheads can halve shower water consumption. For further information refer to Section 7 (on CD).

Taps

Tap usage and applications vary considerably, ranging from bathroom taps to taps in service areas. Installation of key-locked, vandal-proof taps in service areas and automatic shut-off taps in public use areas are a good investment, both in water savings and reduced maintenance.

Good quality tap washers pay for themselves in reduced maintenance and water use costs. The use of flow reduction washers is also effective, particularly in bathroom taps. For further information refer to Section 7 (on CD).

washers to more than 1200 taps in over 100 buildings during 2003-2004. The tap washers

delivering savings on water and energy use and virtually eliminating tap maintenance. Indications from other installations indicate a saving of 25 per cent in water use.

The Council is collecting and compiling data to verify their water savings. For further information contact Michael Burke on (08) 8397 7271.

CASE STUDY: City of Tea Tree Gully

The City of Tea Tree Gully installed special tap

provide a precisely controlled, even flow of water,

Urinals

Urinals can be operated by cyclic flush, pull cord or button operation, or automatically according to demand, and can be surprisingly large water users. A cyclic flush urinal, supplied by two 12 litre cisterns operating 24 hours per day, can use nearly 2 ML/annum, which is about six times the average annual household water use9.


Opportunities to conserve water include modifying flush control, reducing flush volume and conversion to waterless urinals. There are many different flush control options – refer to Wise Water Management ,see Section 7 (on CD) for further details.

Though relatively new to Australia, waterless urinals have been used for some time in Europe and the USA. Urine passes through a special trap cartridge with an oil seal, which prevents undesirable odours from escaping. The cartridges are replaced after about 8500 uses and cost about $40 a year for each urinal10.

Other equipment

Other water using equipment includes depot washing bays and washdown areas, fire equipment (testing and other usage), street washing, fountains and domestic equipment such as dishwashers and washing machines. In country areas, road building by Councils is a significant water use.


Planning Sheet 4

Alternative supplies of water4 Introduction FIGURE 10 Unley Museum Rainwater Tanks Project

You can complement water conservation measures Demonstration Site

by reducing the use of mains water with alternative water supplies. Alternative water supplies include:

1. rainwater tanks;

2. aquifer storage and recovery;

3. greywater and blackwater;

4. reclaimed effluent; and

5. groundwater.

1. Rainwater tanks

The capture, storage and use of rainwater can significantly reduce stormwater flows to the street and augment supply to Council owned and occupied buildings. Specific considerations for Local Government include:

• although treatment of rainwater for residential purposes is uncommon you will need to consider treatment if installing a commercial system that provides drinking water (Contact the Department for Human Services for requirements on commercial systems). As Ultra-violet (UV) sterilisation is a proven technology ideal for rainwater treatment (owing to the low turbidity of rainwater);

• rainwater tank systems are most effective at saving mains water and reducing stormwater flows where they are fully utilised; and

• the cost-effectiveness of rainwater tank systems increases dramatically where rainwater is also used to replace bottled water.

City of Prospect

A 91 000 litre underground rainwater tank is

Civic Centre upgrade. Rainwater collected will be used for toilet flushing and irrigation of grounds.

(08) 8269 5355.

CASE STUDY:

being installed as part of the City of Prospect’s

For further information, contact Marnie Lynch

City of Unley

Demonstration Site demonstrates three separate approaches to rainwater harvesting and use, including a pressure pump system for indoor water needs and a gravity-fed toilet system. Expected savings are around 80 kL/annum plus irrigation savings. For further information, contact the City of Unley on (08) 8372 5120.

from 60L's roof. This system will collect 500

After collection, rainwater is micro-filtered and sterilised for use in taps (including drinking water), showers and appliances. For further information refer to Section 7.

CASE STUDY:

The Unley Museum Rainwater Tanks Project

CASE STUDY: 60 Leicester St, Carlton, Victoria (60L)

Two 10 000 litre tanks store water harvested

kilolitres of water in an average rainfall year, which is 90 per cent of the building’s total needs.


2. Aquifer storage and recovery

Aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) is a way of artificially recharging underground aquifers using stormwater or treated wastewater. The water stored in the aquifers can then be pumped out and reused when required. ASR offers a comparatively low cost method of storing water as an alternative to surface storage and it reduces stormwater flows.

Although widely used in the USA, Israel and the Netherlands, the potential for ASR in Australia has only been recently recognised. However, South Australia is leading the way and there are currently more than a dozen projects in place.

Smaller scale ASR schemes are of most relevance to Local Government. ASR should be used where appropriate rather than where convenient – in some cases highly saline aquifers have been used with poor results.

Councils interested in ASR can contact Russell Martin, Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation (08) 8463 6948.

FIGURE 11 Aquifer Storage and Recovery

Aquifer Storage Recovery as part of a re-use scheme

Stormwater from Dry Creek will be passed through a gross pollutant trap and pumped to

there, the reed-beds will continue the filtering process before it is pumped into an underground

available for irrigation within the reserve, reducing the amount of mains water being used at present by approximately 30 megalitres. For further information, contact Keith Smith on (08) 8285 2033.

CASE STUDY:

the nearby Pooraka Triangle wetlands. Once

T2 aquifer. This recycled stormwater will be

3. The treatment and reuse of greywater and blackwater

Greywater and blackwater from Council facilities can be treated and re-used for irrigation and, with more effort, for specific indoor uses. Indoor re-use is generally limited to toilet flushing, is quite complex and is best built-in to facilities at the design stage.

Image taken from Peter Dillon presentation from the Water Symposium 2002


For information on the treatment and re-use of greywater refer to Section 7 (on CD). For information on reclaimed effluent for irrigation refer below. For other inquiries, contact the Department of Human Services Environmental Health Branch (08) 8226 7100. Your own Council Environmental Health Officers may also be of assistance.

Domestic wastewater and ‘first-flush’ stormwater are treated on-site before being re-used for sub

treatment, sand filtration and UV disinfection prior to storage. For further information, contact

Enfield (08) 8405 6765.

is collected in an underground tank, together with all the sewage from the toilets. This

sedimentation, digestion, bio-filtration and clarification before being discharged into a water

water is pumped through a separate two-stage filtration and UV sterilisation system to make it suitable for flushing all toilet pans and for use in sub-surface irrigation of the roof garden and other landscape features. For further information refer to Section 7.

CASE STUDY: New Haven Village

surface irrigation. Wastewater receives aerobic

Verity Sanders at the City of Port Adelaide

CASE STUDY: 60 Leicester St, Carlton, Victoria (60L)

Wastewater from basins, sinks and showers in 60L

combined effluent is then successively treated by

storage tank for reclaimed water. This reclaimed

4. Reclaimed effluent for irrigation

The use of reclaimed effluent for irrigation by Councils is quite common and presents an excellent opportunity to conserve mains water. Large-scale reuse of treated municipal wastewater from SA Water treatment plants also occurs in areas north and south of metropolitan Adelaide. Opportunities and costs for local Council reuse need to be considered on a site-by-site basis.

Opportunities for re-use of treated STED (Septic Tank Effluent Disposal) lagoon effluent include oval and golf course irrigation and irrigation of other public open space areas. Irrigation re-use is quite common among South Australian non-metropolitan Councils.

Examples of Councils in South Australia which currently re-use treated effluent include:

• District Council of Berri and Barmera, which uses treated septic tank effluent for irrigation of parks, gardens, and the race course and golf course. Additional effluent is evaporated and the sludge used as fertiliser.

• The City of Holdfast Bay, where a small amount of treated effluent from the Glenelg Wastewater Treatment Plant is used for reserve irrigation.

• Onkaparinga Council – McLaren Vale and McLaren Flat, effluent is pumped to the Willunga STEDS and treated effluent is used to irrigate the golf course.

• Streaky Bay Council – all treated effluent is used for foreshore irrigation.

• City of West Torrens uses about 4 ML/year on the airport grounds plus 20–30 ML/year on the university sports playing fields.

• City of Port Adelaide Enfield – several industries are using reclaimed water for landscape irrigation.

Further information on using reclaimed effluent for irrigation is contained in the booklet ‘South Australian Reclaimed Water Guidelines – Treated Effluent’, Department of Health and Environment Protection Agency, 1999. You can also contact:

• Department of Health (08) 8226 7100

• Environment Protection Authority (08) 8204 2097.

District Council of Mount Barker

of 14 000 will be treated at a microfiltration plant before passing into the purpose built

irrigation on adjacent market gardens11. For further information, contact Atis Berzins – STEDS Manager (08) 8391 1633.

CASE STUDY:

Effluent from two townships with a population

Laratinga Wetlands. After at least 200 days of detention the treated effluent will be sold for

5. Groundwater

The use of groundwater will become a critical issue in the near future as residents respond to water restrictions and shortages by wanting increased access to groundwater supplies.


Councils should be aware of this demand and develop requirements for the sustainable extraction of groundwater (where appropriate and if they have not already done so) in collaboration with State Government.

FIGURE 12 Laratinga wetlands


Planning Sheet 5

Construction and refurbishments5 Introduction

The construction of new facilities and the refurbishment of existing facilities is an unparalleled opportunity to introduce water conservation initiatives. During construction, water conservation can be integrated into a facility in the most cost effective way. Unfortunately, the magnitude of the opportunity is often matched by the barriers to achieving water conservation. Despite the rhetoric, most water conservation specialists can walk into a newly constructed ‘green building’ and identify significant opportunities for water conservation that have been missed, some of which will still be cost-effective to retrofit.

Why is this the case? There are several contributing factors, including:

• mismatches between Council’s stated water conservation objectives and the procurement and construction process as water conservation is either left completely out of the brief or is not a priority;

• a shortfall in industry capacity as water conservation is not core business for design and construction companies and there is limited expertise available;

• perceptions of in-house expertise as both the construction industry and Council staff believe that everything has been covered by the design team, whereas this may not be the case; and

• the sheer logistical difficulties involved in any construction project where coordination of multiple stakeholders and trades is required often something ‘has to give’ and this ‘something’ is typically environmental initiatives.

Despite these factors, the benefits of incorporating water conservation outweigh the barriers. Some considerations for successfully integrating water conservation into construction projects follow.

Communication

Don’t wait to be asked to be involved – you won’t necessarily be. Get involved at the earliest possible opportunity. This goes beyond expressing an interest; you will need to be assertive and make sure that you are involved at each step of the process. You may be able to add value beyond the inclusion of water conservation initiatives by ensuring effective communication and cooperation.

Regular project team meetings are an important part of the process.

Consider your communication and influencing skills. Many of the stakeholders in construction projects are from engineering related professions and may respond differently to staff that you generally work with. Awareness of this may allow you to use different approaches and improve your effectiveness. For example, cost benefit figures and financial returns may be more persuasive than emotional arguments in some cases.

Design

Involve external specialists who are independent of the design team, and have designs cross-checked for the inclusion of water conservation initiatives. If possible get a representative on the design team. Trust your own knowledge base, seek second opinions and be wary of ‘experts’ who may have a conflict of interest.

Integrated design is time consuming and complex. As a result, corners are often cut and the savings made on design are dwarfed by the additional construction costs. It is worth putting in the effort at the design stage.

Costing

Construction projects are driven by the up-front capital cost. However, as owner-occupiers (or long-term tenants) your Council should be concerned with both capital costs and running costs over the life of the building. Costing methodologies should be used that reflect this lifecycle approach. Clear guidelines for costing should be provided.

Establishing and managing contracts

Establish clear guidelines for the inclusion of water conservation measures and ensure that these are included in the contract and regularly reviewed throughout the contract.

Ensure that water conservation is included in the development of the initial brief and concept, in choosing the design team and throughout the construction project.


It is important to go beyond general statements about incorporating water conservation principles and to be specific about initiatives that will be included and targets for water consumption.

For refurbishment or upgrades, document current water consumption and use the redevelopment as an opportunity to stabilise or reduce that consumption. You might investigate the inclusion of bonuses or penalties for water consumption targets and Energy and Water Performance Contracts are one way to achieve this. Refer to the beginning of Section 5 (page 21) for details.


6S E C T I O N Community programs for water conservation

Introduction – Planning your Community programs

This section of the Handbook provides details about planning community household water conservation programs. The details provided complement the materials provided in Section 5 about improving Council’s own operations. Refer to Section 7 (on CD) for working with industry information.

It is important to think carefully about how and why you want to develop community water conservation programs and how they will fit with the strategies of other government departments and agencies such as SA Water, the EPA, WaterWise, WaterCare, Catchment Water Management Boards and individual community groups. Community programs should not be undertaken by themselves, but to complement the other water conservation or environmental strategies that your Council and other agencies are undertaking. You might want to think about working regionally, as the Save Water and Power (SWaP) project did, See SWaP Show case study (page 45).

Community programs are also more complex than they appear. Information alone rarely changes what people do (their behaviour), but it may be an important part of your overall campaign. To be successful, community programs must be tailored for your local area and the local community. Different people in the community will have different understandings of water and the environment. They will also have different ways different amounts of time and resources that they can contribute to learning about water conservation and we all learn things in different ways.

If you have considerable time and resources, it is best to plan a strategy for both incentives and community education. If you only have very limited time and resources, start with a relatively simple education project that you can build on later, such as including information on water conservation in existing Council publications, perhaps in a community newsletter. Where possible combine or link your community programs so that they not only cover water, but also issues like energy and waste, for example, on a household scale.

FIGURE 13 Typical household water use

B A T H R O O M

T O I L E T

L A U N D R Y

K I T C H E N

Street

Roof Runoff 80 kL

MAINS 380 kL

220 kL

Leaks 10 kL

150 kL

60 kL

40 kL

35 kL

15 kL

Rainfall

Garden

Sewer


Where are the largest savings in household water use?

A ‘typical’ South Australian older-style three bedroom house with three occupants uses 380 kilolitres (380 000 litres) of mains water each year. This is equivalent to just over 1 000 litres each day of the year12.

By taking simple actions, a ‘typical’ household can become a water-efficient household using just 200 kilolitres of mains water each year. This is equivalent to 550 litres each day of the year – a reduction in mains water consumption of almost 50 per cent.

Assigning blanket household water use values to every household, as is often implied in water-conservation feasibility investigations, can be misleading. Household water consumption varies considerably between dwelling forms – typical townhouse water use patterns, for example, are very different from that of older 1/4 acre suburban block homes. Table 2 (page 39) shows categories for dwelling type and associated water use and reductions. Table 3 (page 40) shows indicative savings for using water conservation methods or devices. They show that setting baseline water consumption data is important to then being able to estimate the potential savings.

FIGURE 14 Efficient household water use

B A T H R O O M

T O I L E T

L A U N D R Y

K I T C H E N

Rainwater

Up to 50 kL

MAINS 200 kL

150 kL

Leaks 0 kL

100 kL

40 kL

20 kL

25 kL

15 kL

Rainfall

Street

Tank Use

Garden

Sewer


TABLE 2 Estimated annual water use by dwelling type13

Dwelling type#1 Town-houses Small ‘villa’ Moderate size Older ‘large homes#2 new dwellings#3 allotment’

dwellings#4

Allotment area, m2 240 300 650 800

Roof area, m2 120 120 200 200

Irrigated area (incl. trees & shrubs),

m2 40 100 330 400

Typical number of occupants 2 2 4 3

Dual flush WC Yes Yes Yes No

With or without water conservation devices

Without With Without With Without With Without With

In-house water use, L/day 239 216 239 216 458 400 413 314

Outdoor water use, L/day 72 72 162 147 519 470 618 558

Miscellaneous losses 47 47 60 60 147 147 155 155

Total indoor and outdoor, L/day 358 335 461 423 1124 1017 1186 1027

Total kL/year 130 122 168 154 410 371 433 374

Reduction in water use, kL/year 8 14 39 59

Present worth benefit of installing conservation measure#5 $135 $135 $337 $395

Reduction in water use, percentage 6 8 10 13

Notes:#1 Residential flats were not investigated.#2 Small ‘villa-style’ dwelling e.g. modern ‘semi-detached’ medium density dwelling. #3 ‘Broadacres’ houses (typical early 1990s-constructed dwelling in new subdivision).#4 Older large-allotment dwellings, the ‘typical’ (pre-1990s) suburban home, modern-size new dwelling. #5 The present worth is the overall financial benefit that can be expected to accrue over the life of the investment. A positive present

worth is considered to be a reasonable investment. Based on 88c/kL mains water, and includes: aerating showerheads or shower flow restrictors (all dwellings), 6/3 litre dual flush toilets (all dwellings), garden timer taps (all dwelling types except townhouses), flow restrictors at kitchen tap, if owner-installed.


Indicative savings for using specific water conservation methods/devices are shown in Table 3. When reading these tables note that 1 kL is 1000 litres, equivalent to two medium sized refrigerators full of water.

The information sheets and Home Water Self-Audit Manual (included in Section 7 on CD) provide guidance on saving water in the home.

How using logic can help with your planning

Given the statistics above regarding possible savings, you can start thinking about what kind of community program might be appropriate in your Council area.

A program logic model is a way of setting out in a diagram how your project will proceed, from inputs to the activities that will have outputs and will lead to outcomes (short, medium and long-term) that will contribute to meeting your goal, see Figure 15 (page 41). In this case the overall goal will be to conserve water in your Council.

It is useful to create a program logic model to work through all the steps of your program to see if or how it will contribute to the goal of conserving water. You can either work left-to-right through the model from your inputs through to the outcomes, asking ‘why’ after each step, or right-to-left from the outcomes you are seeking, moving back to work out what inputs are needed (the latter approach is better if you are free to choose what resources you will allocate to a program). Working right-to-left through your logic model ensures that the program activities will lead logically to the outcomes you are seeking.

TABLE 3 Indicative savings for using water conservation methods or devices14

Percentage of Typical water Water Approximate cost for Typical water water use in use per year, conserving water conserving saving, kL

typical home#1 kL method device

Lawn watering 50% 180 More careful garden watering

$20 45

Shower 20% 75 Install a water efficient shower head or flow control device

Typically, no more than an equivalent water

inefficient

25

showerhead: about $20-$60

Washing 15% 55 Replace with a water About $70 per kg dry 25 machine efficient washing clothes capacity more

machine than a water-inefficient machine

Toilet#2 10% 35 Replace with a water $200 15 efficient, 6/3 litre dual

flush toilet

Other 5% 20 Flow control devices on taps, etc

variable variable

Notes:#1. Water use here assumes a three or four bedroom home, large garden and three occupants.#2. Assumes current toilet is an older 11 litre single flush model.


FIGURE 15 Components of a basic program logic model15

INPUTS

ACTIVITIES

Events or actions (e.g. workshops, curriculum development, training, social marketing, special events, advocacy)

OUTPUTS

Direct products of program (e.g. number of people reached or sessions held)

INITIAL OUTCOMES

Short-term

program (e.g. knowledge, attitude, skill, and awareness changes)

OUTCOMES

Medium-term results (e.g.

normative or policy changes)

LONG-TERM OUTCOMES Ultimate impact (e.g. social or environmental change)

GOAL

Mission or purpose of program

Investments or resources (e.g. time, staff, volunteers, money, materials)

INFLUENTIAL FACTORS

Surrounding environment in which the program exists (e.g. politics, other initiatives, socioeconomic factors, staff turnover, social norms and conditions, program history, stage of development) that can affect its success either positively or negatively

effects of

INTERMEDIATE

behaviour,

FIGURE 16

What is the desired long-term outcome?

What is the desired intermediate outcome?

What is the desired short-term outcome?

What activities are needed to achieve these outcomes?

What inputs are needed to achieve these outcomes?

Households in the Council area will use less water How?

How?

Changes will be made to the appliances and gardens in local households so that they use less water How?

Rebates on timers for garden watering systems How?

Worked example – right-to-left program logic model

Water use in the Council area will stop increasing

Courses in water efficient gardening

Trainers, model curriculum, facilities, money (and possibly an agreement with SA Water)

You might need to think about these for different groups within the community – don’t make the mistake of grouping the community all together.


FIGURE 17 Worked example – left-to-right program logic model

What are the existing inputs?

What are the existing activities?

What are the desired short-term outcome?

What is the desired intermediate outcomes?

What is the desired long-term outcomes?

Why?

Showerhead rebate program Why?

Reduced household shower water use Why?

Reduced indoor water use and changed household behaviour (shorter showers) Why?

Reduced indoor and outdoor water use

Staff, incentives, materials

Describe and plan the program

In designing your program, think about the outcomes you are trying to achieve and about the context in which the program will be implemented. What is the nature of the community you are seeking to work with? What languages do they speak? What size households do they have? How much time or disposable income do they have (in general)? What publications do they read (e.g. The Messenger, Adelaide Advertiser, Council newsletter etc)? What electronic media do they listen to and watch? Once you have finished reading this Section, work through the Community Program Planning Worksheet in Section 7 on the CD.

This planning stage is crucial, especially understanding the community or communities you’ll be working with and thinking about or finding out what barriers exist or what might facilitate effective engagement with the community. If you are new to your Council, you might want to talk to other Council staff with experience working with communities in the area, for example, youth workers and community development staff. What will work with a low socio-economic status community with high unemployment will not necessarily work in a wealthier, highly educated community and vice versa. There may be an opportunity to deliver collaborative programs as well. Using existing community networks or information channels is often an effective and efficient way of delivering community programs.

General data on demographics is available from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (www.abs.gov.au), which will describe the age, ethnicity, occupation and income of people in your Council and it should be available from the records, community development or strategic planning

section of your Council or your public library. Talking to other Council staff will also give you a picture of the local population.

In understanding your community, it is important to be aware that specific groups, including children (0–11 years), young people (12–24 years), women, older people (55 years and over), people with disabilities, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds (including racial, ethnic and ethno-religious minority groups), will have different needs. Australia is a multicultural society and developing programs that respect cultural diversity or are tailored to specific cultural groups is not straightforward. The Multicultural Communities' Council of SA, see Section 7 on the CD, can provide advice and assistance on working with different ethnic groups. Your local Land Council, Aboriginal Corporation or community group can assist if you will be working with people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander background.

Reflect and research Before you proceed with developing a program, you need to be able to answer the following questions:

• What do people already know about conserving water?

• Do they care? If not, why not?

• How do they talk about the problem? (What language do they use?)

• What do they want to know?

• What do they want to be able to do?

• Where do they access information and resources?

• Who do they trust?

• What are the factors that currently support or discourage different groups in the community to conserve water?


• Specifically, are there important social/cultural/ economic factors that influence water use?

• Who or what influences your community(s) in lifestyle choices?

Testing your ideas with the community Consider pilot testing any materials or strategies with a small group, particularly if you are planning a large-scale program.

It is also useful to reflect on your Council’s current situation regarding water conservation and other environmental education programs. For example, you need to be able to answer:

• What has your Council already done vis-à-vis water conservation?

• What other environmental programs exsist?

• What has been successful in your Council?

These questions are included in the worksheet.

The case studies included on n the CD will give you a sense of what other Councils have done and if they have been successful, how this success was evaluated.

Options for water conservation activities

There are two main types of community programs, those that contain incentives of free or discounted products or services, such as offering discounted water efficient showerheads, and those that consist of education and communication programs. Ideally, the two should be linked so that community members not only understand water conservation but are also able to access free or discounted products and/or services to reduce water use in their household.

1. Incentive programs As the name suggests, incentive programs provide a financial or service incentive for people to conserve water. They fall under the general categories of:;

• subsidised audits and advisory programs e.g. estimates of water use and savings opportunities by a trained person, including checking for leaks, and making recommendations for improvement;

• loan programs, for the purchase of water conserving appliances, hardware or landscaping, generally large cost items, so that the loan will significantly reduce the up-front cost for householders. The loans offered are generally at a low or nil interest rates;

• rebate programs which reducing the normal sale price of water saving fixtures (e.g. dual-flush toilets) by offering a rebate or a discount at purchase (again, to reduce the up-front cost);

• give-away programs offering free water saving devices (e.g. water efficient showerheads or tap aerators); and

• subsidised retrofits offering installation of specified water saving fixtures in the home by service providers.

For more information on all these programs, see Wise Water Management (details in Section 7 on CD) .

rated showerhead for $22. Normally this water saving package would cost householders over $135. Refer to Section 7 on the CD.

Campbelltown City Council WCPP Incentive Scheme

Incentive for residents to take up rainwater

Campbelltown through this project. A total of 162 inspections were performed during the scheme for residents expressing interest in the program and wishing to install a rainwater tank. Of these, 85 proposals were submitted for rebates, with six residents proposing an installation involving more than one tank.

Communities Action Plan for devices including discounted AAA-rated shower heads and tap timers, free flow restrictors, incentives toward the purchase of dual flush toilets, incentives towards the installation of dual flush toilets and discounts towards the purchase of front loading washing machines. For more information, contact Sarah Gilmour on (08) 8366 9257 or

.

CASE STUDY: Sydney Water

Sydney Water’s ‘Every Drop Counts’ program offered a plumber’s visit and a brand new AAA-

CASE STUDY:

harvesting by offering subsidies towards the cost of rainwater tanks was offered to residents in

Incentives were also offered under a Cool

[email protected]


TABLE 4 Examples of incentive programs

Type of program Examples Application/tips

Audits and advisory Household water audit (may be Free household water audits under-value the service and programs in conjunction with an energy or

waste audit). are unlikely to be as effective as subsidised audits. Marketing should be carefully considered – the term audit may not be well received and some people may be

See SWaP and Sydney Water intimidated by letting a stranger assess their lifestyle. case studies.

Loan programs Low or nil interest loans for Generally used for large cost items and can assist rainwater tanks, dual-flush householders with upfront costs. May be particularly useful toilets, washing machines. in low-income areas. A simple and effective repayment

See Campbelltown case study. system is required. Providing information to help residents select an appropriate tank size for their requirements can also help residents to save money.

Rebate (or discount) programs

For fixtures such as water-efficient showerheads, tap

Excellent cost prices for bulk purchases can often be arranged through negotiation with product suppliers.

aerators, lawn replacement, These can be passed on to consumers with little additional WaterWise landscaping. subsidy required. Commercial sponsorship is worth

considering. Alternatively, vouchers can be arranged with See Sydney Water case study. local hardware stores. Again, they may fund part of the

cost of the voucher in return for the extra customers.

Give-away programs For fixtures such as water- Give-aways can be used as incentives at shows and events. efficient showerheads and tap aerators.

We do not recommend wholesale give-away programs as the products tend to be under-utilised and there is little leverage of Council funds. It is best to combine give-aways

See SWaP case study. with education programs.

Retrofitting Plumbers replace single flush toilets with dual flush toilets and install low-flow showerheads.

Retrofitting is best integrated with an audit and follow-up advice and education. It provides an excellent delivery mechanism as the householder receives advice and has the

See Sydney Water case study. products installed. This fills the gap between subsidised products (which may not be installed) and advice (which may be ignored). Retrofit packages need to be carefully designed with options as each household is different. For example, some households already have a low flow showerhead or a low pressure hot water system, in which case a low flow showerhead is of little use.

2. Education and communication Table 5 on page 46 sets out the range of methods that are available to engage your communities through education and communication – from informal learning and engaging activities (often hands-on) to professional development and continuing education, formal education, presentations and performances, information, artwork and media. Your budget will influence the methods you use to engage your community in water conservation. Also included in the table is a column suggesting which group/s each approach is best suited to and in what circumstances.


You will need to decide what best meets your communities’ needs after you have researched their needs and understandings (as described above).

Deciding what methods to use Don’t simply choose one method – a single initiative, for example producing a fact sheet is unlikely to have a significant impact on its own. You need to undertake a series of activities to engage a community. At a minimum you will probably need to produce some basic information materials, like in Section 7 (on CD), and send out a media release to local newspapers.

For more comprehensive advice in a similar field refer to “Motivating Home Energy Action, an outline of what works” at www.greenhouse.gov.au/coolcommunities/motivatin g/index.html.

Work with other Council officers to plan and implement your community education project. For example, talk to the Council’s media officer, find out if there are any graphic designers in-house who may be able to help with preparing information materials. Explore whether your Council have a training and education officer who can help you design a course or workshop. Build on existing Council activities and programs, for example, if your Council is conducting energy audits, see if water audits could be incorporated at the same time.

The overall aim of the Unley Museum Rainwater

10 000 litres of rainwater tank storage as a demonstration site highlighting water conservation and the stormwater benefits of retrofitting suburban residential and commercial

An educational mosaic was also developed to contribute to the water conservation theme and provide employment and mentoring for young South Australian visual artists.

The Project began supplying filtered rainwater to the Unley Museum and the adjacent Cancer Care

for toilets, kitchen, drinking and irrigating the new indigenous garden. Interpretive signage is being developed. For more information contact

on (08) 8372 5111.

CASE STUDY: Unley Museum Rainwater Tank Project

Tank Project was to fit the Unley Museum with

properties with tanks and water efficient fixtures.

Centre on 13 March 2003. Water is being used

the Environment Officer – Water at Unley Council

In November 2002, a group of nine South Australian Councils (the Cities of Adelaide,

Norwood, Payneham and St Peters, Onkaparinga,

Council) and one State Government Department (Energy SA), with two funding bodies (WCPP and Cool Communities), delivered an innovative environmental education and incentive program,

marked reduction in residential water and energy consumption by influencing behaviour change and

services.

theatrical performance delivered within each Council area. The latter part of the show enabled the audience to ask specific questions of an expert panel regarding issues that they felt were

and services were available for purchase after each performance.

Outcomes of the project included the distribution of approximately:

• 630 compact fluorescent globes

• 225 AAA shower roses

• 225 kitchen tap aerators

• 225 lengths of hot water pipe lagging

• 180 tap timers

• 180 garden trigger nozzles

• 180 worm farms

• 180 home audits

• 180 copies of (see Section 7).

The project resulted in an increased awareness and understanding about water conservation amongst 400 metropolitan households. Another outcome was improved capacity of participating Councils to provide water conservation services to their communities through stronger relationships with product suppliers, peak bodies, and State Government agencies. For more information

.

CASE STUDY: Save Water and Power (SWaP) Show

Burnside, Holdfast Bay, Marion, Mitcham,

Unley and West Torrens, with Mitcham as the lead

called the Save Water and Power (SWaP) Show. The aim of the SWaP Show was to achieve a

uptake of energy and water efficient products and

The SWaP Show consisted of a humorous,

important. Heavily discounted SWaP Bags containing water and energy efficient products

Your Home: Technical Manual

contact Craig Walker, (08) 8372 8855, [email protected]


between the District Council of Streaky Bay and the Streaky Bay Area School, with seed funding from the Coast and Clean Seas Program and

will move Streaky Bay toward a goal of total water cycle management, the sustainable use of water resources and reduced wastewater discharges to

the marine environment. The project is linked to

For further information contact Ian Kent, Streaky Bay Area School (08) 8626 1202 or Murray

(08) 8626 1001.

CASE STUDY: The Zero Waste Water Project

The Zero Waste Water project is a partnership

Transport SA. Successful completion of the Project

the School’s curriculum and a wider education program for the community, including a comprehensive water-quality monitoring program.

Greenaway, District Council of Streaky Bay

TABLE 5 Examples of education and communication programs

Type of program Examples For whom? When to use?

Informal learning and engaging activities (often hands-on)

Demonstration sites and gardens Launches Festivals and fairs Competitions and awards Grant programs.

For the community in general, usually at public events and in public spaces.

Build engagement about water conservation into your existing community events and where possible, create new events and spaces that focus on water conservation. For example, you could launch a new rainwater tank demonstration site with a public celebration of water.

Presentations and performances

Talks, presentations, seminars

Presentations and performances can be run for existing community

These are ways of engaging people, often before they have any

Demonstrations groups, e.g. environment groups, detailed knowledge of water Tours community service organisations conservation issues. Performances Performances – street such as Rotary and ethnic-based are great ways of attracting theatre, mime, puppetry, singing, storytelling.

organisations, or publicly advertised. These could also be

attention to an issue and starting people thinking about the

combined with other public events, importance of water conservation. e.g. water conserving gardening demonstrations at fairs.

Professional Workshops (e.g. For people already interested in Useful in conjunction with audits development/ workshops about water conservation who want to or other incentive programs, such continuing rainwater tanks) change their homes or businesses. as give-aways, rebates or retrofit education Courses programs.

Study groups Advisory services.

Formal education School education TAFE courses

For students and teachers. Formal education is expensive and time consuming. It is best to work

University education with SA Water and the Training for teachers Department of Education to Community college develop programs for students or courses. teachers.

(Continued next page)


(Continued from previous page)

Type of program Examples For whom? When to use?

Information Printed material – booklets, pamphlets, fact sheets, case studies, stickers, newsletters, calendars, postcards, state of the environment reports (or more detailed planning guides to support self directed learning) Display material – posters, models, exhibitions

Can be tailored to different groups, depending on where it will be used. For example, booklets and bags for people who attend talks, postcards for ratepayers and display materials for people visiting Council offices and fairs.

Use in conjunction with other types of programs for maximum effectiveness. Contact WaterCare 1800420820 for information about programs relevant to your area.

Electronic and audio visual materials – websites, CD-ROMs, videos Products – bags, magnets, pens, bookmarks etc.

Demonstrations Implementation of water saving initiatives (for

Community centre users, general public.

Can be part of Council showing leadership (refer to Section 5).

example, rainwater tank systems) at community facilities.

Signage and Signage at Council For the community in general. Signage and public art can be very public art facilities (e.g. at parks effective ways of communicating

regarding plantings and with the community in public watering regimes) Community artworks and

places, but can be expensive to design, install and maintain.

exhibitions (e.g. water Valuable at demonstration sites. sculptures).

Media Media releases and articles Paid advertising (print,

For the community in general or specific groups, for example,

Media coverage should support other initiatives that Council is

radio, TV, cinema, web, through ethnic media. undertaking. Issue media releases buses, taxis, dockets) to promote water conservation Council pages in local newspapers.

practices by Council and local people.

What makes good communication? First and foremost, the communication programs you plan must be relevant – to the community and to current events (for example, if it’s a wet spell, don’t send out a media release exhorting local residents not to water their gardens). You can only judge what is relevant if you know the community, have undertaken research or can test the outline of your program or communication materials with people from the community. This can be as simple as showing them a fact sheet and asking them what they have learnt from reading it. For more information on testing information, talk to the Communication Research Institute of Australia (CRIA), refer to Section 7 on C.

In general, good communication is respectful, attractive, useful, efficient, physically appropriate, socially appropriate and productive – in the sense of opening up further opportunities for good communication (according to David Sless from CRIA). Think about these criteria when producing your community education program. Invite people from the community to help plan and implement your program. The best communication is participatory, for example, hosting workshops which invite participants to take action can build ownership and support in ways that sending out information will not do.


When preparing information materials make sure that you use pictures as well as words, to cover all literacy levels. Don’t put too much information on one page and try to avoid technical terms like retrofitting, unless you explain what they mean.

What makes a good media release? A good media release;

• states the date issued or ‘embargoed until’ and then the date:

• states the name of the organisation (usually your Council) issuing the media release at the top.

• has a catchy short title (eight words or less);

• is no more than one page;

• has a first paragraph that captures the imagination and summarises the story (including who, what, where and when);

• two or three short paragraphs explaining the story;

• contains at least two ‘quotable quotes’; and

• contains contact details (including a mobile phone number).

For more details about writing a media release and working with the media, talk to the media officer at your Council.


7S E C T I O N References and contact detailsThis Section provides a list of contacts, resources and references,plus lists the selected resource materials available on the CD.

Resource Materials included on CD

Information sheets and resources developed as part of this Handbook • Community program planning worksheet

• Water Conservation Partnership Project Best Practice Water Conservation Principles

• Greywater systems information sheet.

• Rainwater tanks information sheet

• Home water self-audit worksheet

• Home water self-audit manual

Water Conservation Partnership Project 2000-2004 Demonstration projects • Burnside Sustainable Garden

• Campbelltown Incentive Scheme

• Goyder Council Incentive and Education Program

• Jamestown Community School’s Water Conservation Partnership Project

• City of Norwood, Payneham, St Peters Residential Water Re-use Project

• District Council of Peterborough Water Conservation Re-use Site

• City of Playford ‘Garden Green, Water Wise’ Outdoor Water Conservation Guide

• City of Salisbury Water Conservation Through Home Assist

• SWaP Show

• Unley Museum Rainwater Tanks Project

• West Torrens Rainwater Tank Project

• Whyalla Water Efficient Demonstration House

• Sample Statement of Joint Intent (SOJI)

Case studies Australian and International case studies • Mt Victoria case study

• Shellharbour case study

• Hasting Council case study

• Kalgoorlie/ Boulder case study

• Hunter Valley case study

• Lismore City Council case study

• Denver case study

• Seattle case study

• Austin case study

• Streaky Bay case study

Other case studies • 60L 10 point tour and brochure

• Barwon Water – by-law information

• Marrickville Energy Smart – Water Wise Development Control Plan summary

• Sydney Water brochure

Water Conservation Material • SA Water Conservation Brochure

• SA Water and Adelaide Botanic Gardens

• SA Water WaterWise Gardens

• SA Water WaterWise Plants

• SA Water Micro Irrigation Brochure

• SA Water Smart Water Use

• SA Water Managing your soils

• Water Wise in the household

• Water Wise in the commnity

• Water Wise in the Workplace

Recycled Water Information sheets • Department of Health publications on greywater,

reedbeds and composting toilets

• Grey Water Application Form

• Domestic Grey Water Reuse Chart

• Sodium and phosphorous concentration in laundry products

Community Information Guides • Community consultation manual

• National Water Conservation Rating Scheme brochure and buyers’ guide

• Water Proofing Adelaide

• Rainwater Tank guideline

International Campaign for Local Environmental Initiatives Water Campaign Information


Contacts and Resources

In addition to the contacts and resources referred to throughout the Handbook and included in Section 7 the following may be of use.

Technical resources • WCPP Review of domestic and local council

water conservation, roof runoff, ASR and wastewater reuse opportunities, at www.deh.sa.gov.au/sustainability/pdfs/WCPPReview.pdf

• Best Practice Water Conservation Principles at www.deh.sa.gov.au/sustainability/

• Water Symposium 2002: Working on Water - New Trends in Water Resources Management, from Households to Catchment, at www.deh.sa.gov.au/sustainability/ conservation.html#wcpp

• Department of Health www.health.sa.gov.au/

• Sydney water website www.sydneywater. com.au/everydropcounts/

• Save Water, at www.savewater.com.au

• The SA Water website has tips and fact sheets for saving water at home, at www.sawater.com.au/ Our_Water_System/index.html

• The Plumbing Industry Association of South Australia (08) 8292 4000 will be able to suggest a

reputable WaterWise plumber in your Council area

• The Your Home Guide includes water saving information and can be viewed on-line at www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/index.htm

• www.watercare.net is a comprehensive schools education resource which links to a large number of water conservation sites around Australia.

Communication resources Multicultural Communities' Council of SA (08) 8410 0300 web: www.multiwebsa.org.au email: [email protected]

Migrant Resource Centre of South Australia (08) 8223 3604 email: [email protected]

Communication Research Institute of Australia web: www.communication.org.au

An excellent, comprehensive resource on Community Engagement in the NSW Planning System is available on line at www.iplan.nsw.gov.au/ engagement.

References

1. Adapted from Department for Water Resources (2000), State Water Plan.

2. WaterWise in the Community, Information Sheet Number 4, WaterWise.

3. The Wentworth Group (2002), Blueprint for a Living Continent.

4. NSW Environment Protection Agency website, www.epa.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2000/bw/bw_fig_ 2. htm

5. SA Water website, www.sawater.com.au/ Our_Water_System/index.html.

6. Adapted from Department for Water Resources (2000), State Water Plan.

7. SA Water, Environmental Report 2002.

8. Water Services Association of Australia (1998), Wise Water Management: A Demand Management Manual for Water Utilities.

9. The Green Building Partnership (2003), 60Lbrochure.

10. Adapted from Local Government News, April 2003.

11. Eyre Peninsula Catchment Water Management Board, Saving Water – What Can You Do?

12. Adapted from Allen, M. (1994) cited in Water Conservation Partnerships Project – Review of Urban Domestic and Local Council Water Conservation, Roof Runoff, ASR and Wastewater Reuse Opportunities.

13. Adapted from Allen, M. (1994) cited in Water Conservation Partnerships Project – Review of Urban Domestic and Local Council Water Conservation, Roof Runoff, ASR and Wastewater Reuse Opportunities.

14. US Department of Health and Human Services Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2002), Physical Activity Evaluation Handbook.

