Forty-one Councils across Sydney, the Illawarra and Blue Mountains have joined Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts (EDC) Business Program to identify and achieve substantial water savings. These Councils are working to prove their commitment to managing water as a valuable community asset and a sustainable business resource.
To date, water efficiency audits with some of these Councils have identified over 700,000 litres per day in water savings from varying types of Council facilities, including swimming and administration centres, transport depots, sports pavilions and ovals.
So how has Sydney Water managed to gain such enthusiasm from NSW Councils? In 2001, Sydney Water developed the EDC Business Program to increase the uptake of water efficiency measures in the business community. Sydney Water’s program is designed with a strong emphasis on managerial commitment using Energetics’ One-2-Five® Water Management Diagnostic and includes a range of technical services to help businesses improve their water management.
“Local Government plays a leading role in shaping community and economic development with a core responsibility to encourage sustainable development opportunities,” said Sydney Water’s Business Program Manager, Mohan Seneviratne. “Through the EDC Business Program, Local Government has the opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to securing water as a vital asset. The program is not only achieving a greater uptake of sustainable water conservation improvements, but we are also enjoying stronger relationships with Councils.”
There is no cost to join the EDC Business Program, which provides participating Councils with valuable information containing water use profiles and distribution breakdown, free One-2-Five® Water Management Diagnostics, discounts on the purchase of sub meters, cofunding of water audits, water reuse and recycling trials.
Another great outcome of the program has been the development of a proactive partnership between State and Local Government. Sydney Water is also working with Councils to assist them in the development of their Water Conservation Plans by March 2006 under the recently released NSW Metropolitan Water Plan.
For further information on Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts Business Program or to join the program, please contact Fernando Ortega on (02) 9350 5207.
For further information on Energetics’ One-2-Five® Water Diagnostics, please contact Meg Webster on (02) 9492 9510.
