Water Kit - Hunter Water
Water Kit - Hunter Water Water Kit - Hunter Water
2.1 water use and conservation The importance of water conservation Achieving and maintaining a sustainable balance between demand for water and its use is one of the greatest challenges facing our community. The Lower Hunter community relies on Hunter Water to provide a constant supply of clean, healthy water in a cost-effective manner with minimal environmental impact. Clean, fresh water is a finite resource. When rain falls from the sky we tend to think of it as cheap and unlimited, but this is not the case. Our supplies of drinking water are limited by: • Rainfall patterns • The total capacity of our drinking water storages • The amount of rain that falls in the catchments of these storages • The volume of water our treatment plants can process • Changes in demand for water by customers Our raw water supplies must also be shared with the natural world, ie environmental flows are required to ensure the health of local rivers such as the Williams. Water is required to run through our rivers, replenish our wetlands and fill up our lakes. Water is used in agriculture, business, industry, schools, homes and gardens, and its value becomes more obvious during periods of drought. When we see dam levels drop and hear about the potential for water restrictions, we realise how important clean and healthy water is. Hunter Water’s task is to provide adequate sources of water so that supply is maintained to residents of the Lower Hunter during times of drought. Hunter Water’s Drought Management Plan aims to reduce the impacts of drought to ensure water supply for all essential purposes. This plan involves limiting the demand for water during drought. Water use in the LOWER Hunter Water usually enters the Hunter Valley as rain but occasionally as snow on the upper peaks around Barrington Tops. It then flows into our creeks and rivers or infiltrates the soil. Water for human consumption is stored ‘on-river’ at Chichester Dam and ‘off-river’ at Grahamstown Dam, the Tomago and Tomaree Sandbeds. When Chichester Dam overflows, this water eventually flows into the Williams River. In the Lower Hunter, these three major storage areas serve a population of about 500,000 people through 4,200km of pipes and five water treatment works. This infrastructure provides us with a reticulated water supply. The rest of this water remains in storage or returns to the water cycle. Keeping the catchment area clean protects our drinking water sources. Fortunately in the Hunter many of our water storage catchment areas are protected within National Parks. Of all the potable water consumed in the Hunter 53% is by residents, 15% by industry and 5% by commercial interests. Farms and parks use only 1% of reticulated water, although farmers capture or redirect rainfall on their properties by using rainwater tanks and dams. This is not part of the reticulated water system. Hunter Water’s Drought Management Plan includes a scale of water restrictions as follows: DAM LEVEL 70% dam storage: 60% dam storage: 50% dam storage: 40% dam storage: RESTRICTION IMPOSED Public campaign to encourage voluntary reduction in water use Fixed sprinklers not allowed Limit on times when hand held hoses can be used No outdoor water use onserving the Lower Hunter’s water Water resources must be managed and protected so that they are not degraded, depleted or wasted. Management is also crucial to ensure that water is available on a sustainable basis for present and future generations. The challenge of managing water in the Lower Hunter is a shared responsibility between Hunter Water and all other water users such as community, industry, schools and government. Hunter Water must balance a growing community’s future use of water with improving the effectiveness of existing storage supplies. This is achieved by Hunter Water through: • The ‘user pays’ price signal • Promoting efficient use of water via strategies in the Intergrated Water Resource Plan • Publicising an annual summer campaign which seeks community cooperation to reduce demand for water in hot weather • Imposing restrictions on water uses in stages • Capitalising on the Lower Hunter’s natural advantage of extensive coastal sandbeds which act like dams and contains significant volumes of fresh water To this end, Hunter Water has prepared a ten-year plan to conserve water in the Lower Hunter region. The plan commenced in 2003 and is known as the Integrated Water Resource Plan (IWRP). It aims to conserve 1,000ML of water over 10 years; the equivalent of 18 months growth in consumer demand for the Lower Hunter. 3 Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010
Integrated Water Resource Plan The IWRP considers environmental, economic and social factors in an integrated way to find the lowest cost of providing customers with water in the future. The IWRP involves a range of water saving initiatives, including: Water kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010 Educating the community about the importance of water conservation Monitoring indoor and outdoor water consumption data and trends A program to encourage water efficient practices in the home and garden Water audits and Cleaner Production for business, industry and schools to reduce their environmental impacts A labelling scheme to identify water efficient products such as front-loading washing machines and dual flush toilets Water sensitive urban design to create low impact developments that mimic natural catchments A ‘retrofit’ program to install water saving showerheads and tap aerators in homes Identifying andfixing leaks by replacing faulty infrastructure, especially pipes Impacts of water use in the LOWER Hunter Economic impacts Hunter Water is the water service provider for the Lower Hunter; with 208,000 properties connected to the water supply network. Hunter Water delivers over 200 million litres of water per day on average, using assets worth approximately $2 billion. The management of water provides an essential service to industries and businesses in the region. Every organisation depends on a safe, reliable supply of water - many as a primary input to their production activities eg steel-making, energy production and meat processing. The environmental management of water also provides economic outcomes. The sustainable extraction and recycling of water means that ecosystems have sufficient water to maintain their processes and products. This means that wetlands can continue to provide flood mitigation, estuaries can continue to provide nursery areas for aquatic animals, and forests can continue to provide wood. The conservative use of water also means that the building of new infrastructure may be delayed, allowing Hunter Water to plan for growth in a more sustainable way. It can also mean that the cost of water to consumers can be kept to a minimum. Construction work to increase capacity at Grahamstown Dam Environmental impacts The environmental impact of water use is still not fully understood, but the impact of modern practices on water quality and quantity has been enormous. Deteriorating water quality and depleted freshwater supplies are amongst the biggest and most serious environmental issues facing Australia today. Fortunately in the Lower Hunter, the situation is different. An independent inquiry into the Hunter River system undertaken by the Healthy Rivers Commission found the Williams River to be in good condition. The inquiry set out to examine how river health is being managed and assessed all of the Hunter Rivers’ tributary streams and watercourses, as well as the contributing catchment area. Many new ideas have emerged about water conservation and use, and changes in legislation have highlighted the public concern about these issues. Waterways are now high on the agenda of commonwealth, state and local authorities. Social impacts The use of water in our society is fundamental to our well-being. Apart from the fact that we need water to live, it can also play a significant recreational, psychological and spiritual value in our lives. Indigenous Australians incorporated water into many Dreamtime stories - rivers, lakes and wetlands were often important places to meet, celebrate or find food and shelter. Water is essential for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and bathing. It is also essential for recreational activities such as gardening, swimming and fishing. The recreational value of water in the Lower Hunter is seen in the importance that we place on our clean beaches, rivers and dams. PRICING Versus Conservation When a community believes that tap water is endless and cheap, it can be hard to convince them that it is a precious resource not to be wasted. In the Lower Hunter, Hunter Water is addressing this issue through a combination of water pricing and water conservation initiatives. Water pricing Regulation in the form of pricing mechanisms can limit water use. The ‘user pays’ system means that customers pay for the water they use; customers that use larger amounts pay more for water than those who use less. 4
- 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 and 36: ainfall patterns and water supply w
- Page 37 and 38: managing water supply sustainably w
- Page 39 and 40: 1.8 Sustainability & Water Supply S
- Page 41: Links with THE Syllabus Used collec
- 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
- Page 87 and 88: improving wastewater worksheet 4 2
- Page 89 and 90: support material This section conta
- Page 91 and 92: International WEBSITES: Ecoschools
Integrated <strong>Water</strong><br />
Resource Plan<br />
The IWRP considers environmental,<br />
economic and social factors in an<br />
integrated way to find the lowest cost<br />
of providing customers with water in the<br />
future. The IWRP involves a range of<br />
water saving initiatives, including:<br />
<strong>Water</strong> kit . ssS . 001 . april 2010<br />
Educating the<br />
community about the<br />
importance of water<br />
conservation<br />
Monitoring indoor and<br />
outdoor water<br />
consumption data<br />
and trends<br />
A program to<br />
encourage water<br />
efficient practices in<br />
the home and garden<br />
<strong>Water</strong> audits and<br />
Cleaner Production for<br />
business, industry<br />
and schools to reduce<br />
their environmental<br />
impacts<br />
A labelling scheme to<br />
identify water efficient<br />
products such as<br />
front-loading washing<br />
machines and dual<br />
flush toilets<br />
<strong>Water</strong> sensitive urban<br />
design to create low<br />
impact developments<br />
that mimic natural<br />
catchments<br />
A ‘retrofit’ program to<br />
install water saving<br />
showerheads and tap<br />
aerators in homes<br />
Identifying andfixing<br />
leaks by replacing<br />
faulty infrastructure,<br />
especially pipes<br />
Impacts of water use in the<br />
LOWER <strong>Hunter</strong><br />
Economic impacts<br />
<strong>Hunter</strong> <strong>Water</strong> is the water service<br />
provider for the Lower <strong>Hunter</strong>; with<br />
208,000 properties connected to the<br />
water supply network. <strong>Hunter</strong> <strong>Water</strong><br />
delivers over 200 million litres of water<br />
per day on average, using assets worth<br />
approximately $2 billion.<br />
The management of water provides<br />
an essential service to industries<br />
and businesses in the region. Every<br />
organisation depends on a safe, reliable<br />
supply of water - many as a primary<br />
input to their production activities eg<br />
steel-making, energy production and<br />
meat processing. The environmental<br />
management of water also provides<br />
economic outcomes.<br />
The sustainable extraction and recycling<br />
of water means that ecosystems<br />
have sufficient water to maintain their<br />
processes and products. This means<br />
that wetlands can continue to provide<br />
flood mitigation, estuaries can continue<br />
to provide nursery areas for aquatic<br />
animals, and forests can continue to<br />
provide wood.<br />
The conservative use of water also<br />
means that the building of new<br />
infrastructure may be delayed, allowing<br />
<strong>Hunter</strong> <strong>Water</strong> to plan for growth in a<br />
more sustainable way. It can also mean<br />
that the cost of water to consumers can<br />
be kept to a minimum.<br />
Construction work to increase capacity at<br />
Grahamstown Dam<br />
Environmental impacts<br />
The environmental impact of water<br />
use is still not fully understood, but the<br />
impact of modern practices on water<br />
quality and quantity has been enormous.<br />
Deteriorating water quality and depleted<br />
freshwater supplies are amongst the<br />
biggest and most serious environmental<br />
issues facing Australia today.<br />
Fortunately in the Lower <strong>Hunter</strong>, the<br />
situation is different. An independent<br />
inquiry into the <strong>Hunter</strong> River system<br />
undertaken by the Healthy Rivers<br />
Commission found the Williams River<br />
to be in good condition. The inquiry<br />
set out to examine how river health is<br />
being managed and assessed all of the<br />
<strong>Hunter</strong> Rivers’ tributary streams and<br />
watercourses, as well as the contributing<br />
catchment area.<br />
Many new ideas have emerged about<br />
water conservation and use, and<br />
changes in legislation have highlighted<br />
the public concern about these issues.<br />
<strong>Water</strong>ways are now high on the agenda<br />
of commonwealth, state and local<br />
authorities.<br />
Social impacts<br />
The use of water in our society is<br />
fundamental to our well-being. Apart<br />
from the fact that we need water<br />
to live, it can also play a significant<br />
recreational, psychological and spiritual<br />
value in our lives.<br />
Indigenous Australians incorporated<br />
water into many Dreamtime stories -<br />
rivers, lakes and wetlands were often<br />
important places to meet, celebrate or<br />
find food and shelter.<br />
<strong>Water</strong> is essential for drinking,<br />
cooking, cleaning, and bathing. It is<br />
also essential for recreational activities<br />
such as gardening, swimming and<br />
fishing. The recreational value of water<br />
in the Lower <strong>Hunter</strong> is seen in the<br />
importance that we place on our clean<br />
beaches, rivers and dams.<br />
PRICING Versus Conservation<br />
When a community believes that tap<br />
water is endless and cheap, it can be<br />
hard to convince them that it is a precious<br />
resource not to be wasted. In the Lower<br />
<strong>Hunter</strong>, <strong>Hunter</strong> <strong>Water</strong> is addressing this<br />
issue through a combination of water<br />
pricing and water conservation initiatives.<br />
<strong>Water</strong> pricing<br />
Regulation in the form of pricing<br />
mechanisms can limit water use. The<br />
‘user pays’ system means that customers<br />
pay for the water they use; customers<br />
that use larger amounts pay more for<br />
water than those who use less.<br />
4
Change language