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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 07 Hansard (Thursday, 1 July 2004) . . Page.. 3120 ..

The approach to developing “Think water, act water” has paid off, with extremely positive feedback from sectors within the community expressing support for the policies and implementation actions identified in “Think water, act water”, led by the Conservation Council of the South-East Region and Canberra. I am proud to think that the ACT is continuing to develop in its role as a national leader in sustainable water management through development of such a comprehensive and integrated strategy for the long-term guidance of water management in the ACT—a strategy that puts us in good stead in relation to capitalising on the national water initiative and implementation of the 1994 COAG water reforms. The strategy addresses a range of issues, including variables affecting the future of the ACT’s water resources—population growth, climate change, bushfire impact, et cetera—water supply options, water use efficiency, water quality, water sensitive urban design, catchment management, riparian zone management and education of community partnerships.

“Think water, act water” is based on a responsible and balanced approach to both the short and longer term water resource issues facing the territory. By implementing a range of water efficiency measures now, water savings can start to be realised. This gives us adequate time to assess with more certainty the magnitude of impacts like population growth, bushfires and climate change, as well as the effectiveness of the water use efficiency program, and adequate time to determine if and when a new water supply is needed and the best option to meet the ACT’s requirements.

Analysis by the Institute for Sustainable Futures, undertaken specifically for Canberra, compares various water efficiency options with water supply and reuse options. This analysis shows clearly that water use efficiency programs are the most cost-effective way to achieve the objectives of extending our water supply. A strategy to secure our water supply needs to focus first on obtaining the maximum benefit from the water efficiency program. Based on the analysis of the Institute for Sustainable Futures, water efficiency programs most suited to the Canberra situation and which balance good water savings outcomes with the cost to the community have been selected. The government will offer a range of incentives to households to encourage improvements in water efficiency in the house and garden, including providing a rebate for AAA showerheads, subsidising household, indoor and garden water tune-ups, subsidising the replacement of a single flush toilet with a AAA6 three-litre dual flush toilet and providing a revised rainwater tank rebate scheme.

Also supporting the water efficiency measures will be information and awareness programs that provide advice to householders and the business and government sectors, support for a national scheme for compulsory water efficiency labelling of appliances, a range of new regulations to support long-term water conservation in the home and garden without causing undue restriction, and new plumbing practices to ensure new buildings are constructed to minimise water use and to make reuse of waste water and rainwater more practical.

Initiatives are also needed in the commercial and industrial sectors and in government buildings, public housing and on public land. In consultation with business in the ACT, a detailed water efficiency program across the commercial, industrial and public sectors will be developed and initiated during 2004-05. In the ACT we currently use high quality drinking water for irrigation and other purposes. The reuse of water is another method

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