Stormwater recycling and smart irrigation systems have helped the City of Perth claim special honours at a Water Corporation event celebrating Western Australia’s top waterwise councils.
The City was among five councils recognised for its participation in the Waterwise Council Program, which supports local governments in the efficient use of precious water resources.
Recent water-saving initiatives in the CBD included an expanded project to capture and reuse stormwater runoff for irrigating parks and public open spaces.
Known as stormwater harvesting, the project yielded 60 million litres of water in 2023-24. This volume of water is equivalent to 26 Olympic-sized swimming pools and helped the City reduce its reliance on groundwater by nearly 30 per cent.
Other initiatives included sophisticated irrigation systems that analyse soil moisture levels to avoid overwatering and greater use of native, waterwise plants.
“Being waterwise is a shared responsibility, which is why it’s great to see local government leading from the front when it comes to supporting collective water security across Western Australia,” Water Minister Don Punch said.
A record 47 local governments are now endorsed under the Waterwise Council Programs, which Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation jointly administer.
The program’s newest waterwise council – the Shire of Ashburton – was also recognised at the event, along with the Cities of Armadale, Nedlands, and Shire of Capel, each earning gold endorsement for the first time.
Special mention was also reserved for the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre, which claimed the Platinum Waterwise Aquatic Centre of the Year under the Waterwise Aquatic Centre Program.
Since 2008, the Waterwise Aquatic Centre Program, created in partnership with the Leisure Institute of WA, has helped 58 aquatic centres across the state achieve endorsement.
“The Waterwise Council and Leisure Centre Programs are excellent examples of what can be achieved when we prioritise collaboration and innovation in our everyday work,” Punch said.
For more information, visit www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise/Waterwise-programs
The Waterwise Council and Waterwise Aquatic Centre Programs support the WA Government’s Kep Katitjin-Gabi Kaadadjan (Waterwise Action Plan 3) to establish leading waterwise communities for Boorloo (Perth) and Bindjareb (Peel) by 2030.
Related Articles:
- Melbourne to lock in lowest capital city water bills
- How Sydney Water and WaterFix is helping residents save
- 20 years of big water savings through water efficiency standards