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Business Award

Recognises outstanding water savings achieved in business. This category targets demonstrated innovation and achievement in the reduction of water used.

Congratulations to our winner, Mansfield Propagation Nursery

BusinessAward

WINNER


Mansfield’s Propagation Nursery

Mansfield’s Propagation Nursery is one of Australia’s leading propagators; growing and supplying close to three million plants annually.

The nursery has designed a state-of-the-art purpose-built propagation facility with water reclamation and re-use in mind. The new facility has various water-saving measures such as the installation of thousands of metres of drains beneath the 9,000 sq metre growing area and the entire nursery being fitted with low volume sprinkler heads to minimize irrigation water usage. The eight toilet cubicles are also connected to a reuse water supply system.

This new facility is already reaping enormous water savings. For the 2007/2008 period, Mansfield Propagation Nursery recorded a saving of 16.6ML of potable water, compared with the 2005/2006 period. This equates to a saving of approximately six Olympic-size swimming pools. It is anticipated that this saving will increase over the coming years, with a minimum saving of 29.1ML expected in the 2008/2009 period.

"Mansfield’s is proud to be a finalist in both the ‘Business Award’ and ‘Built Environment and Gardens’ categories. When planning our nursery 15 years ago, we aimed to be environmentally friendly and water wise. We are now reaping the rewards in water savings and being recognized for our planning and foresight."

Judges’ comment: The initiatives implemented by Mansfield Propagation Nursery illustrate the nursery’s commitment to water savings and improving the environment.




FINALISTS


Cadbury Schweppes Ringwood

Corporate social responsibility has always been at the forefront of Cadbury Schweppes’ business, so it comes as no surprise to see that its Ringwood site has undertaken various initiatives to reduce water usage.

These initiatives have seen the site significantly invest in water-conservation practices and products. In addition to installing more than 300,000 litres of tanks for rainwater storage, the Ringwood site has converted all its urinals to waterless systems and has installed more than 35 water meters within the factory to gauge and monitor water use.

Perhaps the biggest and most beneficial investment by Cadbury Schweppes Ringwood came with its upgrade of chilling equipment. This has so far reduced water consumption at the site by approximately 8ML or just over three Olympic-size swimming pools.

Cadbury Schweppes Ringwood also participated in a free water efficient showerhead exchange program for its employees, further helping to spread the water conservation message.

"These initiatives complement a multitude of water-saving programs across our business here in Australia and elsewhere around the world," explained Mark Callaghan, Cadbury Schweppes' Managing Director - Confectionery, Australia and New Zealand.

"For example, the waterless lubrication on our production lines at our Huntingwood site earned us a Sydney Water Innovation Award. This process has now been introduced across 12 production lines in Australia and New Zealand, saving tens of millions of litres of water a year."

Judges’ comment: Cadbury has shown its desire to continue to be an environmentally friendly company through its many water-saving practices.



Visy Beverage Can

Environmental sustainability is one of Visy Beverage Can’s core principles and in 2006, under the umbrella of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, it launched a new and improved internal management program designed to minimise waste, reduce the amount of water used in its can making process and explore possibilities of treating and reusing water.

This initiative has resulted in many benefits for Visy including reduced leaks, improved cooling tower efficiency and improved vacuum pumps and the program has consequently helped to develop staff awareness of the rising cost of water. Water saving results are already being achieved with annual savings of 47ML being recorded for 2007/2008 across the Visy Beverage Can business. This equates to a saving of approximately 18 Olympic-size swimming pools.

“I am proud that Visy Packaging has made the finals of the savewater! awards® as it not only highlights the great work to reduce water use in making beverage cans, it also shows that our people are continuing to strive for better and more water efficient processes,” said John Murphy, Visy Chief Executive Officer.

Judges’ comment: Visy has developed a solution that not only reduces its water usage, but also has many other environmental benefits. The undertaking of substantial research to develop a solution is to be commended.