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| Community Action |
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Recognised in their community as a leader in water conservation, the winner of this award will have achieved outstanding water savings and demonstrate a long-term commitment to efficient water use. This category is open to individuals or community groups who have demonstrated outstanding water savings and encourage others to do the same.
Congratulations to our winner, Andrew Dawson |
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Andrew has been very effective in promoting water conservation. His key idea that attracted a fair amount of media attention involves simply turning the stop-tap on household water meters down half a turn and continuing to do so once a week until the minimum level acceptable to your household is reached. Andrew’s efforts have been effective in promoting the water conservation message in the main stream media.
As a result of implementing this approach, Andrew’s household water consumption has decreased significantly. Various family members, friends and acquaintances of Andrew have followed suit and are implementing this approach.
To test the broader application of this approach Andrew is doing further research via a project called the 3TD (Turn The Tap Down) water saving education and research project. It has been endorsed by the leader of CSIRO’s urban water research team and draws on volunteers from some of Australia’s major cities to participate in gathering data on the potential of water-flow reduction as a water-saving strategy.
Judges’ comment: Andrew’s simple and care-free water conservation solution is a measure which could potentially be broadly implemented.
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Nilma Darnum Football Club |
The drought and subsequent hardness of sporting fields is having quite a devastating impact on various sporting clubs around Australia. Due to water shortages, clubs in some regions are unable to water their sporting ovals, resulting in extremely hard playing surfaces.
Nilma Darnum Football Club has responded to the challenge and is a shining example of how implementing a few simple measures can ensure a club can continue through the current drought conditions.
With the help of a community assisted grant from the local council, Nilma Darnum Football Club purchased two 45,000 litre water tanks, pumps and new irrigation equipment. Once fitted, the club captured storm water from the clubroom roof to fill the tanks.
In addition to water captured on site, reuse grey water has been made available from a nearby milk factory. The club engages a volunteer contractor to make the 2km trip to collect the water to fill the tanks. This has resulted in Nilma Darnum Football Club and Recreation Reserve using negligible amounts of potable water to irrigate the ground.
“We are grateful that the Baw Baw Shire and the Fonterra milk plant, with the help of Adam Tyson, have joined with us in this initiative,” said Andrew Patterson, Nilma Darnum Football Club President.
“Our ground will become one of the most sought after in the area over the summer period as it will be softer and have more grass, making it available for all clubs in the district to safely use.”
The visible results of watering the reserve are clear for all to see. However, the benefits extend beyond the visibility of the turf, as now, local residents are using grey water at home, as they have seen just how beneficial it can be.
Judges’ comment: Both finalists have come up with some fantastic water-saving practices and were worthy of recognition. |
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Warrawee Seniors Club is a group of over 55s, run by a committee of management that conducts activities daily at its club rooms. Located in Inverloch and with a membership base of 200, Warrawee Seniors Club has recognised the need to take action in regard to water conservation. As a result of one of the driest periods in the area’s history, it has implemented more sustainable practices in and around the club rooms.
In a scheme partially funded by a Commonwealth Water Grant, Warrawee Seniors Club installed two rain water tanks and retrofitted the clubrooms to be more water efficient. The retrofit included the fitting of dual flush cisterns, new tap work and an upgrade of the guttering and pipe work to collect water. The upgrades benefit the entire Inverloch community with the local fire brigade having access to the water tanks, if required, in emergency situations.
Judges’ comment: Both finalists have come up with some fantastic water-saving practices and were worthy of recognition. |
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