Page 3067 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 14 September 1993
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MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND TRAINING
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTION
QUESTION 934
Government Schools - Automatic Flushing Toilets
MR CORNWELL- asked the Minister for Education and Training on
notice on 17 August 1993:
(1) Is it a fact that all Government school toilets automatically flush every 15 minutes, 24 hours a day, seven days a week; if so why.
(2) If only some schools operate thus, which ones.
(3) How many such toilets are there in the ACT school system.
(4) What is the total cost and volume of such -water usage per annum.
(5) Are there any plans to install timers or otherwise reduce volume and posts.
MR WOOD - the answer to Mr Cornwells question is:
(1) This is not correct. There are however a number of older schools where cisterns servicing urinals flush . automatically on a continuing cycle. This method of flushing for the urinals was the accepted plumbing practice for many years.
(2) Generally schools constructed prior to 1987 incorporate this method of urinal flushing.
(3) There are approximately 450 urinals flushed by the automatic method.
(4) The volume of water used to flush these urinals is estimated at approximately 580,000 kilolitres per annum. (This estimate is based upon 600 cisterns each with an 11 litre capacity servicing the 450 urinals and flushing on average every 6 minutes)..
The cost of 580,000 kilolitres would be $171,000 at current excess water rates.
(5) The Department is calling tenders during September 1993 for the provision of a hygiene service to urinals to overcome current odour problems. Following on from the improvement in hygiene it is planned to commence the progressive installation of controlled flushing systems to replace the automatic urinal flushing-systems in all schools.
In addition the Department has ensured that controlled urinal flushing has been incorporated in schools constructed in recent years.
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