Media Release

10 Jan 2008

Households heed water saving message

Households in Sydney, the Illawarra and Blue Mountains have cut their annual water consumption by an average of 75,000 litres since 2002-03.

Annual average household use has fallen in every local government area across the Sydney Water area.

The average consumption for a single residential dwelling has fallen from 297,000 litres per year in 2002-03 before water restrictions were introduced to 222,000 litres in 2006-07.

Households using the least water in Sydney were in Kiama where consumption was 162,000 litres per household, Leichhardt with 165,000 litres, and the Blue Mountains with 171,000 litres per household.

The highest water using areas in Sydney were Woollahra using 306,000 litres per household, Mosman with 283,000 litres per household, and Hunters Hill with 282,000 litres per household.

The successful water conservation programs, as well as public education and awareness of the need to be water wise have been major factors in encouraging savings.

Measures such as rainwater tank rebates, washing machine rebates, water saving devices and other demand management initiatives have played a major part.

Sydney Water’s water conservation strategy is one of the largest and most comprehensive of its type in the world. The $83 million spent on water conservation and recycling schemes in 2006-07 led to savings of about 57 billion litres for the year.

Since mandatory water restrictions came into force on 1 October 2003, residents and businesses have done an outstanding job, saving more than 360 billion litres of water, this is a reduction of around 14.3% against the long-term average.

Water Consumption for Single Residential Dwellings

LGA	2006-07 (‘000 litres)	2002-03 (‘000 litres)	Savings (‘000 litres)
Ashfield	222	278	56
Auburn	226	274	48
Bankstown	225	275	50
Baulkham hills	249	377	128
Blacktown	213	281	68
Blue Mountains	171	244	73
Botany Bay	225	285	60
Burwood	238	292	54
Camden	237	368	131
Campbelltown	224	309	85
Canada Bay	213	267	54
Canterbury	231	278	47
Fairfield	240	305	65
Hawkesbury	240	365	125
Holroyd	216	259	43
Hornsby	223	335	112
Hunters Hill	282	393	111
Hurstville	216	275	59
Kiama	162	215	53
Kogarah	230	293	63
Kuring-gai	271	402	131
Lane Cove	234	320	86
Leichhardt	165	209	44
Liverpool	238	324	86
Manly	225	295	70
Marrickville	185	231	46
Mosman	283	365	82
North Sydney	210	273	63
Parramatta	217	278	61
Penrith	230	327	97
Pittwater	222	312	90
Randwick	229	292	63
Rockdale	230	279	49
Ryde	214	276	62
Shellharbour	191	245	54
Strathfield	265	335	70
Sutherland	225	306	81
Sydney	181	224	43
Warringah	222	298	76
Waverley	222	275	53
Willoughby	225	298	73
Wollondilly	224	323	99
Wollongong	183	239	56
Woollahra	306	400	94
Average	222	297	75

 

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