Water Kit - Hunter Water
Water Kit - Hunter Water Water Kit - Hunter Water
managing water supply sustainably worksheet 3 background The demand for a reliable and safe water supply brings with it a number of impacts. Environmental, social and economic considerations must be taken into account when managing water supply. Sustainability can be achieved by following Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) principles and objectives that ensure the maintenance of ecological processes and systems. The core objectives of the National Strategy for ESD are to: • Ensure economic well-being that safeguards the welfare of future generations (‘intergenerational equity’) • Enhance the individual and community well-being within and between generations (‘intragenerational equity’) • Conserve and protect biological diversity and essential ecological processes and life-support systems This worksheet involves students in research, reflection and problem-solving in response to a hypothetical situation concerning sustainable management of water supply in the Hunter. THE CURRENT SITUATION Hunter Water is responsible for supplying the Lower Hunter community with a reliable and healthy supply of water. This includes urban residents and industry in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Cessnock and Port Stephens. To meet the water demands of its customers, Hunter Water extracts water from four main sources: Chichester Dam, Grahamstown Dam, Tomago Sandbeds and the Tomaree Sandbeds, located in either the Williams River or Port Stephens catchments. The population of the Lower Hunter region is steadily growing, placing extra demand on the area’s water supplies. Some action will be needed to meet the additional demand, but every option has specific costs and benefits. These options must be fully considered in terms of ESD principles if we are to ensure sustainable management of the water supply. The hypothetical options Let’s say there are two main options to help address the growing demand on the Hunter’s water supplies: • Introduce widespread and effective water conservation measures in the Lower Hunter • Build a dam across the Tillegra River, on gently sloping land that is a mix of grazing, dairy, native forests The activity Choose one or both of the hypothetical options outlined above and get your group to: • Discuss how population increases and lifestyle changes impact on water supply. Understanding what causes increased demand can help in developing preventative measures to manage demand on water supplies. • Identify the major elements of each hypothetical option. For example: What kind of measures to conserve water could be implemented? What would construction of a new dam involve? • Identify the key stakeholders associated with the option. For example: Who would be involved in the decision-making? Who will be affected by the option and therefore need to be consulted? • Identify the different viewpoints of stakeholders and assess whether they would generally be for, against, or neutral regarding the option. • Investigate the possible environmental, social and economic impacts of the option. • Propose possible alternatives to address conflict surrounding the option and address (ESD) principles. • Convene a public meeting (ie role play) where the proposal can be outlined and the views of the various stakeholders shared. Classroom consensus could be sought to determine whether or not the option has merit and therefore whether it should be (i) implemented, (ii) modified, or (iii) overturned. Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010 30
managing water supply sustainably worksheet 3 Useful background material • Integrated WATER Resource Plan - www.hunterwater.comm.au This plan investigates the range of options for Hunter Water to continue to provide a safe and reliable water supply with the lowest cost, based on economic, social and environmental factors. • www.dams.org This website for the World Commission on Dams includes a detailed report which investigates and assesses the impacts associated with development of new dams. • www.savewater.com.au Australia’s leading source on water conservation. The aim of this site is to help promote a more sustainable social, physical and economic environment by reducing water consumption and increasing water efficiency. The site provides independent expert advice; a one-stop shop for information on water conservation; access to water conservation products; real life examples of water conservation in action; and encourages use of local knowledge, experience and products. Wangat Lodge’s ‘Hypotheticals Program’ - Learning about geographical issues in context Nestled in the upper reaches of the Chichester catchment, Wangat Lodge offers a range of practical and educational activities for school students. The Hypotheticals Program involves identification and analysis of contemporary geographical issues affecting a catchment area in the Lower Hunter. The program runs over several days at Wangat Lodge and incorporates a program schedule and a range of complementary activities. Aim of the Program The Hypotheticals Program provides an introduction to the reasoning behind development projects and the analysis of their environment and social impacts in a democratic society. The program develops self-confidence, assertiveness, teamwork skills and clear thinking and judgement in presenting a viewpoint. A ‘Public Hearing’ requires a team of students, through research and evaluation, to present the case for the development, against the development or in favour of a compromise solution. Overview of the Program • discussion of water supply and conservation • working in pro, anti and compromise groups • briefings of the development projects • consultation with special interest groups • field inspections of sites • slide shows on issues of sustainable development • role plays and public hearings For more information on the Hypotheticals Program, go to the Wangat Lodge website www.wangat.com.au or contact Wangat Lodge on 4995 9265. Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010 31
- Page 1 and 2: Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010
- Page 3 and 4: introduction to water supply WATER
- Page 5 and 6: introduction WHY STUDY WATER? Water
- Page 7 and 8: 1.1 the water cycle INTRODUCTION Mo
- Page 9 and 10: BREAKING THE WATER CYCLE To supply
- Page 11 and 12: Hunter Water’s area of operations
- Page 13 and 14: Protecting and managing the catchme
- Page 15 and 16: Water From The Mountains Chichester
- Page 17 and 18: Rewarding Water Conservation A new
- Page 19 and 20: Main infrastructure of Hunter Water
- Page 21 and 22: 1.6 the managing groundwater supply
- Page 23 and 24: Water Sharing Plan for the Tomago,
- Page 25 and 26: Monitoring the Hunter catchment The
- Page 27 and 28: Environmental Hunter Water: • Dev
- Page 29 and 30: The Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) was
- Page 31 and 32: labour is invested on the site annu
- Page 33 and 34: influences on water supply in the h
- Page 35: ainfall patterns and water supply w
- Page 39 and 40: 1.8 Sustainability & Water Supply S
- Page 41 and 42: Links with THE Syllabus Used collec
- Page 43 and 44: Integrated Water Resource Plan The
- Page 45 and 46: 2.2 being waterwise at home Our wat
- Page 47 and 48: 2.3 being waterwise at school Water
- Page 49 and 50: 2.4 school water audit Why DO A wat
- Page 51 and 52: 2.6 think twice water saving campai
- Page 53 and 54: design a water saving campaign work
- Page 55 and 56: assessing water conservation scheme
- Page 57 and 58: 8 Use wetlands to store stormwater
- Page 59 and 60: water audits - a case study workshe
- Page 61 and 62: desktop water audit worksheet 4 Ask
- Page 63 and 64: asic water audit worksheet 5 Leakin
- Page 65 and 66: environmental audit protocol worksh
- Page 67 and 68: water conservation resource list 2.
- Page 69 and 70: Links with THE Syllabus Used collec
- Page 71 and 72: These controls specify the quality
- Page 73 and 74: wwtw population communities daily v
- Page 75 and 76: Grit Tank Inorganic grit material i
- Page 77 and 78: 3.5 stormwater management What is s
- Page 79 and 80: 3.6 managing stormwater with sqids
- Page 81 and 82: ) Suggest strategies that might be
- Page 83 and 84: Does it transport rubbish down into
- Page 85 and 86: stormwater in your school worksheet
managing water supply sustainably<br />
worksheet 3<br />
Useful background material<br />
• Integrated WATER<br />
Resource Plan -<br />
www.hunterwater.comm.au<br />
This plan investigates the range<br />
of options for <strong>Hunter</strong> <strong>Water</strong> to<br />
continue to provide a safe and<br />
reliable water supply with the<br />
lowest cost, based on economic,<br />
social and environmental factors.<br />
• www.dams.org<br />
This website for the World<br />
Commission on Dams includes a<br />
detailed report which investigates<br />
and assesses the impacts<br />
associated with development of<br />
new dams.<br />
• www.savewater.com.au<br />
Australia’s leading source on<br />
water conservation. The aim of<br />
this site is to help promote a<br />
more sustainable social, physical<br />
and economic environment by<br />
reducing water consumption and<br />
increasing water efficiency. The<br />
site provides independent expert<br />
advice; a one-stop shop for<br />
information on water conservation;<br />
access to water conservation<br />
products; real life examples of<br />
water conservation in action; and<br />
encourages use of local knowledge,<br />
experience and products.<br />
Wangat Lodge’s<br />
‘Hypotheticals Program’ -<br />
Learning about geographical<br />
issues in context<br />
Nestled in the upper reaches of<br />
the Chichester catchment, Wangat<br />
Lodge offers a range of practical<br />
and educational activities for school<br />
students. The Hypotheticals Program<br />
involves identification and analysis of<br />
contemporary geographical issues<br />
affecting a catchment area in the Lower<br />
<strong>Hunter</strong>. The program runs over several<br />
days at Wangat Lodge and incorporates<br />
a program schedule and a range of<br />
complementary activities.<br />
Aim of the Program<br />
The Hypotheticals Program provides<br />
an introduction to the reasoning behind<br />
development projects and the analysis<br />
of their environment and social impacts<br />
in a democratic society.<br />
The program develops self-confidence,<br />
assertiveness, teamwork skills and clear<br />
thinking and judgement in presenting a<br />
viewpoint. A ‘Public Hearing’ requires a<br />
team of students, through research and<br />
evaluation, to present the case for the<br />
development, against the development<br />
or in favour of a compromise solution.<br />
Overview of the Program<br />
• discussion of water supply and<br />
conservation<br />
• working in pro, anti and<br />
compromise groups<br />
• briefings of the development<br />
projects<br />
• consultation with special interest<br />
groups<br />
• field inspections of sites<br />
• slide shows on issues of<br />
sustainable development<br />
• role plays and public hearings<br />
For more information on the<br />
Hypotheticals Program, go to<br />
the Wangat Lodge website<br />
www.wangat.com.au or contact<br />
Wangat Lodge on 4995 9265.<br />
<strong>Water</strong> kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010<br />
31
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