Annual Report 2011 - Watercare

Watercare Services Limited
2011 ANNUAL REPORT
Watercare
at work
Ambitious demand-management plan takes shape
Watercare is implementing an ambitious water demandmanagement
plan that aims to reduce gross per capita
consumption by 15 per cent by 2025.
Adopted in June 2011, the plan brings together previous reviews
and demand-management approaches used in Auckland and
other parts of New Zealand, as well as best practice from overseas.
“It involves reinforcing positive messages about water use
as part of our existing Adopt A Stream education programme
– which thousands of pupils participate in each year.
“We plan to work with the Ministry of Education and schools
to help them reduce the volume of water used for things such
as irrigation and toilet flushing, as well as to detect leaks.”
Water Resources Manager Dr Deborah Lind says the total
demand for water in Auckland continues to increase as a result of
population growth.
“While individual consumption has reduced significantly over the
last 30 years, the overall demand for water has increased as our
population has doubled.
“Managing our water demand will not offset the entire impact of
population growth. However, we do expect it will help to defer the
need for new water sources and related infrastructure. This will
assist in reducing our costs and keeping water prices low, while
also reducing impacts on the environment.”
The plan features a ‘tool box’ of initiatives covering the six Es
of water efficiency and demand-management approaches:
engage, educate, encourage, engineer, enact and economic.
Deborah explains that working with schools is one of the
initiatives:
Watercare also plans to continue working with Housing
New Zealand, which owns 30,000 homes in Auckland,
to ensure water-efficient appliances are included as part of
refurbishment work, and to ensure leaks are detected and
repaired in a timely manner.
Other approaches include minimising leaks in the network and
water used for operational purposes, and working with Auckland
Council to find ways to reduce its demand for water.
“Managing our water demand will not offset
the entire impact of population growth. However,
we do expect it will help to defer the need for
new water sources and related infrastructure.”
Effective asset management
Data Technician Sarah Muir and Water Resources Manager Dr Deborah Lind
look at rain level data for Lower Nihotupu Dam.
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