City of Kwinana win waterwise award

The City of Kwinana was recognised for its water-saving measures by the Department of Water and Environment Regulation earlier this month.

The City of Kwinana was one of 13 metropolitan councils to be recognised as a Gold Waterwise Council for the second year in a row.

The title recognises the City’s ongoing innovation and leadership in incorporating waterwise principles into its operations.

Kwinana Mayor Carol Adams said the City had worked diligently towards the status and had implemented a number of initiatives such as the adopt-a-verge program.

The program encourages residents to plant local native waterwise gardens on their verge and involves subsidised local native seedling sale, free mulch and verge gardening tips and workshops.

“Additionally, the council adopted a Green Building Policy for new and renovated council buildings and runs an annual Living Smart Sustainable Living course,” Ms Adams said.

The City has also improved its water use efficiencies through water monitoring and leak detection.

As a result, 10 buildings have been fitted with water data loggers and real-time monitoring systems and 15 inefficient toilers and urinals throughout the city have been replaced.

The City has also made improvements in how it waters its parks and gardens by using centralised irrigating technology, allowing irrigation operation and run times to be easily changed based on weather conditions.

“Through the early detection of leaks we estimate that the City has saved approximately 9,000,000 litres of water and the upgrade of the toilets within the council’s facilities is estimated to save us approximately 900,000 litres of water each year,” Ms Adams said.

The Rockingham Industry Zone was also endorsed by the Water Corporation as a Waterwise Development and is the first non-residential development to join the program.

LandCorp metropolitan and industrial general manager John Hackett said developments within the estate had to comply with the guidelines, which will result in significant reduction of water during the construction phase and ongoing operation.

Initiatives include rainwater tanks, water supply and efficiency plans to be submitted as part of building licenses, water efficient fittings and fixtures, and native landscapes.

LandCorp has planted 5100 Tuart Trees at the RIZ conservation area to reinstate the habitat for the Carnaby’s black cockatoo.