East Gippsland Water is encouraging all customers to get involved in a new water efficiency program targeted at rural and regional Victorians.
The Victorian Government has launched Target Your Water Use, to complement the Target 155 program operating across metropolitan Melbourne.
Target Your Water Use is a voluntary water efficiency program designed to assist and encourage regional Victorians to use their water wisely.
The program’s focus is on taking a longer-term view of water usage habits, including across East Gippsland, while providing locals with better access to the information they need to make informed decisions about the amount of water they use.
The program recognises that each water business faces a unique set of circumstances and so a diverse range of water sources and efficiency measures are needed to help ensure there will be enough water to meet all our needs now and into the future.
Customers can visit East Gippsland Water’s website www.egwater.vic.gov.au for information about solutions and products on offer to assist in using water more efficiently, or contact the water corporation direct. Useful information is also available from the Target Your Water Use website www.targetyourwateruse.vic.gov.au.
Handy tips include: fixing dripping taps; limiting showers to four minutes; only using the dishwasher with a full load; installing rainwater tanks; and using drip systems as an efficient way to water the garden.
East Gippsland Water’s Managing Director, Bruce Hammond, said, “Despite recent rainfall it’s clear that climate change and population growth continue to pose serious challenges for our water future. There is a real need for us all to adapt our water use habits in anticipation of extreme weather events impacting on our water catchments in the future.”
Target Your Water Use will also involve education initiatives targeting primary and secondary schools and community organisations across East Gippsland, to highlight the importance of using water efficiently.
Minister for Water, Lisa Neville, said, “Victorians living in rural and regional areas understand all too well the pressures of drought and water security. Conditions can change quickly and we need to be preparing for drier conditions now.”
“This program will help residents and business owners play their part in tackling those challenges, allowing them to make informed decisions about their water use by delivering new tools like comparative water use data,” said Minister Neville.
