Media Release

05 Jun 2008

Kogarah Council on par to save 270 million litres of water

A new kind of recycling plant opened today at the Beverley Park Golf Course will save up to 125 million litres of Sydney’s drinking water every year.

In addition, another 147 million litres of drinking water will be saved by Council’s water saving efforts as part of Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts (EDC) Business Program and water restrictions.

Kogarah Council has been awarded a prestigious, best practice, five star water management rating.

Sydney Water applauds Council for its strategic approach to water management and its tireless efforts to drive innovation.

Kogarah Council was the first Council to sign a sewer mining agreement with Sydney Water in 2005.

This commitment is now realising considerable water savings.

Council constructed a water reclamation plant at Beverley Park Golf Course to treat wastewater extracted from a nearby sewer main. This process is called sewer mining.

The treated water will be used to irrigate the Club’s greens and fairways and some nearby parks.

Council has made a significant investment in this project and that makes good financial sense in the long term.

By using recycled water instead of drinking water for irrigation, Council will also be saving money in water usage charges every year.

The NSW Government supported Council in funding this scheme with two grants worth $1,665,000 provided by the Government’s then Water Savings Fund (now the Climate Change Fund).

Further demonstrating Kogarah Council’s commitment to conserving water Sydney Water awarded Council with a five star water efficiency rating at the opening ceremony.

Kogarah Council joined the EDC Business Program in 2003. Since then, Council has reduced its water use by 20 per cent, saving 147 million litres of drinking water.

Council is one of just seven Five Star organisations in the program. The EDC Business Program has more than 380 members.

Kogarah Council achieved best practice by;

• Implementing stormwater reuse and installing water efficient devices in its buildings at the Kogarah Town Square residential and commercial development.
  
• Setting public targets for water consumption.
  
• Actively monitoring water use in council buildings.
  
• Maintaining high-level management support for water efficiency.
  
• Training staff to be water efficient – in fact, water efficiency is a key performance indicator in some staff job descriptions.
  
• Committing funds to research and development.
  
• Running community workshops about rainwater tanks and water saving to educate and assist residents.

Council is also working with local industries to reduce water use and improve stormwater quality.

 

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