Water Efficiency Conducted by Government

Saving water might not only be citizens’ responsibility, but also governments’ duty. The NSW government seems to be a role model. According to the Metropolitan Water Directorate, which leads a whole-of-government approach to water planning for greater Sydney, only approximately 4% of the greater Sydney’s water use is by government facilities. Nevertheless, those NSW Government agencies, which are high water users, are still requested to make a Water Saving Action Plans and to conduct cost effective improvements in water efficiency. Under such pressure, 44 local councils and 34 government agencies have completed their Water Saving Action Plans. By 2011, a decrease of 15 percent in water use is said to be realized by government, and cost effective actions mentioned in the plans is said to save approximately 1.7billion liters of drinking water.

In addition, the NSW Government keeps on updating the procurement requirements, in order to ensure that only water efficient products are purchased by agencies.  At the same time, many programs are rolled out to realize the reduction of water use. Since November, 2014, the government conducted a program throughout Sydney to retrofit Department of Housing dwellings with water saving appliances and devices, supplied free to tenancies. The program visited more than 73,700 households, and has saved some 1,54 billion liters of water per year.

Furthermore, the leadership and promotion of water saving is also emphasized by the government. To support the implementation of the Metropolitan Water Plan and to build citizens with the knowledge of water saving, a Water for Life Education Progam is embraced, with the cooperation of relevant government agencies.

By 2015, 145 billion of water is saved a year. Owing to all those water-saving efforts, the amount of water used in greater Sydney is the same as what in 1970s, even with 1.4 million more citizens.

Reference:

http://www.metrowater.nsw.gov.au/planning-sydney/water-efficiency/government-water-savings

http://www.metrowater.nsw.gov.au/planning-sydney/water-efficiency/water-efficiency-targets