Waitakere pushes strong conservation messages for World Water Day

Waitakere City Council and other water suppliers in the region are working together to get vital water conservation messages out to the public to mark World Water Day this Sunday

Great tips on how to achieve drinking water savings at home, for both indoor and outdoor use, are due to appear in local newspapers on March 17 and 18, so residents can start implementing changes before World Water Day.

The tips will include such recommendations as turning off the tap while brushing your teeth, following water-wise gardening practices and installing a rain tank or barrel.

The council is also launching its new Water Ambassadors Kids Club this week – a ground-breaking educational initiative for environmentally-minded five to 10-year-olds that encourages them to spread water conservation messages to their family and friends.

“Waitakere leads the way in proactively promoting water efficiency to its residents and providing information on ways they can protect our water resources and save money on their water bills in the process,” says Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse.

“We offer advice on installing raintanks, rain barrels and solar water heating and offer free water audits to help our residents identify where water bill savings can be made through more efficient water use in their homes.

“In Waitakere we are supporting the water conservation messages of World Water Day, every day.”

Auckland’s population is expected to double within the next two decades and this increase in density and urbanisation will place pressures on existing water and wastewater infrastructure.

In order to defer major financial and environmental costs involved in providing a new water source, the council has a goal of reducing water demand in Waitakere by 25 percent by 2025.

Cr Hulse says proactively promoting key water conservation messages is therefore essential if this goal is to be reached.

“We’re committed to raising awareness of the large amount of drinking water we waste every day on our household tasks and what simple things we can do or introduce around the home to bring about significant water savings.

“Drinking water is expensive to collect, treat and pipe to our homes, yet we drink, at most, only five percent of it. The other 95 percent goes down the drain via our showers, taps, laundries and toilets, as well as from outside uses, like watering the garden or washing the car. That’s hugely wasteful and there are many things we can do to remedy that.”

A wide range of water-saving information, guidance and advice is available on the EcoWater section of council’s website at www.waitakere.govt.nz. Brochures are also available on request by phoning the council’s 24-hour call centre on 839 0400.

* World Water Day on Sunday 22 March is an official international day sponsored by the United Nations. The United Nation’s official websites are www.unwater.org/worldwaterday/flashindex.html and
http://www.worldwaterday.org