Page 2121 - Week 07 - Thursday, 23 August 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
• Australian Car Wash Association
• ACT Children's Services Association
• Building Service Contractors Association of Australia
• Property Council of Australia (ACT)
• Irrigation Association of Australia
• Australian Institute of Horticulture
• Australian Institute of Landscape Architects
• Landscape Contractors Association
• Nursery & Garden Industry NSW & ACT (NGINA)
• Turf Grass Association of Australia
On 4 June 2007 I announced the establishment of a high level inter-departmental committee to identify the possible ramifications of stage 4 water restrictions on business and the community and to make contingency plans to address the likely impact. The Committee is being chaired by the Chief Executive of the Department of Territory and Municipal Services, Mr Mike Zissler and supported by Dr Maxine Cooper and the Water Security Taskforce. The Committee will work with ACTEW to identify areas across the social, economic and environmental spectrum that may suffer adverse impacts if the move to stage 4 is made.
(2) (a) The ACT Government has complied with the Temporary Water Restrictions. All Government agencies are aware of the need to conserve water and have amended their water management practices to reflect the requirements under the Temporary Restrictions Scheme.
In addition:
• $430,000 is being spent implementing water audit recommendations in schools;
• $100,000 has been allocated to retro-fit Evatt Primary with water efficient products and fixtures as a demonstration to other schools;
• $25,000 is being spent upgrading irrigation system fixtures in five schools; and
• $350,000 is being spent installing the COMTROL water-efficient irrigation control system in 17 schools.
The five highest water using ACT Government leased buildings have also been water audited and the Government has also provided assistance to the commercial and institutional sectors, through the logging of water consumption data and walk-through water audits. To date 70 commercial audits have been conducted.
(b) The ACT Government continues to engage with the Commonwealth Government in relation to the Temporary Water Restrictions, the broader water supply implications of the Murray Darling Basin as well as the Prime Minister’s National Plan for Water Security. Commonwealth agencies are committed to comply with the ACT water restrictions.
(c) ACTEW has written to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeking the cooperation of the Diplomatic Corp in adhering to the requirements of the Temporary Restrictions.
(3) The National Capital Authority administers water allocations from Lake Burley Griffin. Officials from the ACT Government and the National Capital Authority met on 23 May 2007 to discuss, inter alia, Stage Four water restrictions.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .