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WATER CAMPAIGN™

The Water Campaign™ is an international freshwater management program, which aims to build the capacity of local government to reduce water consumption and improve local water quality. The Water Campaign™ is an ICLEI Oceania program delivered in collaboration with our partners, including the Government of Western Australia, Australian Government, City West Water, South East Water, Yarra Valley Water, the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resources Management Board, Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board and the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin Natural Resources Management Board.

WATER CAMPAIGN™ PROGRAM NEWS

Participation and Milestone Achievements

There are currently 116 councils taking part in the Water Campaign™. We welcome six new participants:

Coorong District Council, South Australia
Lismore City Council, New South Wales
District Council of Loxton Waikerie, South Australia
Mid Murray Council, South Australia
Southern Mallee District Council, South Australia
Town of Victoria Park, Western Australia

Four councils have completed milestones 2 and 3, Corporate and Community:

Nillumbik Shire Council, Victoria
Town of Cottesloe, Western Australia
Shire of Peppermint Grove, Western Australia
City of Subiaco, Western Australia

Congratulations!

Forthcoming events

Water Partnerships in Action – ICLEI Oceania South Australian Recognition Breakfast Event, Water Down Under 2008

Tuesday 15 April, Adelaide Convention Centre

ICLEI Oceania, in partnership with the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges NRM Board, the Northern and Yorke NRM Board and the South Australian Murray-Darling Basin NRM Board, will hold a Recognition Breakfast Event at the Water Down Under 2008 Conference to recognise the achievements of Water Campaign™ participants in South Australia.

The event will provide the opportunity for participants to network with other councils and key stakeholders.

Invitations will be sent to participating councils and stakeholders in early March.

Councils that are not currently involved in ICLEI Oceania programs, but wish to find out more about the organisation and its work, are welcome to attend the event.

Contact ICLEI Oceania regarding the registration fee. Seats are limited and must be reserved in advance. For more information regarding this event please contact the ICLEI Oceania Events Team, Ph: +61 (0) 3 9639 8688.

WA Urban Water Management Networking Forum – Call for ideas

ICLEI Oceania is running a one-day networking forum in Western Australia in May 2008.

The forum will aim to bring together key players in urban water management to share past experiences and ideas for the future.

ICLEI Ocecania is now seeking input before finalising key topics for the day. If you have an idea please submit your suggestion to Sarah McCabe, Water Campaign State Manager, Western Australia.

New module for the Water Campaign™

ICLEI Oceania is currently developing a new catchment module component for the Water Campaign™.

This new module will aim to develop and implement an effective way to tackle catchment level issues between multiple councils participating in the Water Campaign™.

ICLEI Oceania will play the role of facilitator by bringing together councils within a specific region, identifying suitable resources and engaging the relevant stakeholders to achieve action.

The draft catchment module structure incorporates a framework similar to the project management of the existing corporate and community modules.

For more information see the Western Australian Partnerships and Regional Information page on the Water Campaign™ website.

Regional milestone assistance fund

ICLEI Oceania, in partnership with the Government of Western Australia’s Department of Water, is offering a Milestone Assistance Fund to help local governments to progress through the Water Campaign™ and achieve sustainable water management outcomes.

A total of $45,000 is being offered to Western Australian councils to implement regionally based water management actions.

Grants from this fund will be made available to groups of three or more councils to either:

employ a staff person to assist with completing a milestone, or
contribute to the implementation of a sustainable water management initiative (water conservation and/or water quality).

Expressions of Interest have now been received. ICLEI Oceania looks forward to showcasing the actions of successful applicants in the near future.

For further information contact Sarah McCabe, Water Campaign State Manager, Western Australia, Ph: +61 (0)8 9364 0643.

WATER CAMPAIGN™ COUNCILS IN ACTION

Logan City Council: Helping schools save water

Logan City Council has run a very successful awareness program in local schools that has decreased their water usage by 50% in two years.

Council’s water wise education program has been expanded to reach 25 schools over the past five years.

The program encourages schools to carry out major water projects that include harvesting stormwater and installing waterless urinals and water efficient devices in taps and toilets.

As part of the program’s next phase Logan City Council will install smart metering in all local schools and use the data to educate students. Council is also holding workshops in schools to train the teachers to conserve water and over 100 teachers attended the first of these in February.

Community water education display – Adelaide

A number of Water Campaign™ participants, along with other councils and stakeholders, are putting together a community water education display to be shown at the Adelaide Central Markets in South Australia.

Water Campaign™ councils involved with the display include Adelaide City Council, City of Charles Sturt, City of Holdfast Bay, City of Marion and City of West Torrens. SA Water and the City of Unley are also involved.

The display can be found in the Centre Stage of the Central Markets and will be on show from 25 March – 8 April 2008. It will be a static display with examples of water wise council activities and will provide information for the community on how to be water wise.

Staff involved with the project will be on hand on Friday 28 March from 5.00–6.30pm to provide information to the community.

For more information please contact Mark Hannan, City of Charles Sturt, Ph: +61 (0)8 8408 1138 or Amy Bruckman, City of West Torrens, Ph: +61 (0)8 8416 6345.

AUSTRALIAN WATER NEWS

Water Conservation Plans – newsletter now available

Hydro Zone is an online newsletter providing up-to-date information on the new local government water conservation plans.

In 2003 the Western Australian State Water Strategy introduced the concept of water conservation plans with a five-year implementation period.

Water conservation plans enable local government authorities to demonstrate improved water-use efficiency and conservation and continual improvement. Bringing together key people responsible for managing groundwater, the plans ease the identification of major issues and the development of practical strategies and actions towards sustainable groundwater management.

At Milestone 3 of the Water Campaign™ councils are asked to develop a Local Action Plan for water conservation and water quality improvement. For many councils, the new water conservation plans will sit together with this local action plan forming a comprehensive sustainable water management strategy that covers both potable water and groundwater and assists them in meeting all their regulatory requirements.

Under the new water efficiency measures announced on 23 July 2007 Perth metropolitan local government authorities have until 1 July 2008 to complete their water conservation plans. The deadline for country local government authorities is 1 July 2009.

The Western Australian Department of Water will be providing a process and template to assist with producing the plans.

Call for papers

Local Government and Shires Association of NSW 2008 Water Management Conference
The LGSA is calling for papers for the 2008 Water Management Conference in Ballina. What would you like to present or hear at the conference? Do you have a relevant project or initiative that others would like to know about?

GRANTS AND AWARDS

New grants now available

DSE Stormwater and Urban Recycling Fund – Vic
The Victorian Government Department of Sustainability and Environment's Stormwater and Urban Recycling Fund will support the development of local stormwater and urban recycling projects.

NRM Grants available for councils in Northern and Yorke Region – SA
The Northern and Yorke Natural Resources Management Board has adopted a small grants program to assist in the delivery of natural resources management projects in the region.

Drought Relief for Community Sport and Recreation Program 2008 – Vic
Victorian councils with areas on Stage 3 water restrictions or above are eligible to apply for funding to keep sport and recreation facilities open and to provide long-term, sustainable potable water use reductions by the community sporting facilities.

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