A number of innovative and out-of-the-box sustainable initiatives by the City of Canning led to the Western Australian Water Corporation recognising the City’s efforts with the Platinum Waterwise Council – Council of the Year award in May.
The award acknowledged Council’s outstanding commitment to creating a Waterwise community.
Seventeen individual projects that centred on smart thinking around water efficiency, open space management and irrigation, biodiversity and community education contributed to the accolade.
The City offered free sustainability audits to high water use homes, retrofitted aged care facilities with water efficient fittings and ran a succulent streetscape trial with no water.
The City’s Youth Hackathon Connect 4 Water was also a key contributor to the Platinum award, as was the work undertaken through the Canning River Eco Education Centre (CREEC).
CREEC is a hub for community capital, education about the river, water literacy and other sustainability issues. Here, workshops are hosted and a range of sustainability initiatives are promoted; reflecting the City’s strong commitment to managing the ecological health of the surrounding natural environment.
City of Canning Chief Executive Officer, Arthur Kyron, said the council is the first in Western Australia to have endorsed a Waterwise Vision that provides a clear direction on how Canning can become a resilient, liveable, sustainable and productive place to live.
“We are fortunate to encompass part of one of Perth’s greatest water assets, Dyarlgarro Beelya, the Canning River.
“As such, water custodianship and planning have always been front of mind for the community and the City.
“Our Waterwise City journey is led from all levels and includes our Executive Sustainability Board, the first of its kind in Western Australian local government.”
