Page 3553 - Week 10 - Tuesday, 25 August 2009
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am very pleased that the government is taking such positive steps in partnership with Actew and the community.
MS BURCH (Brindabella) (11.47): The issue of water security involves the whole community. It is not just an issue for government or Actew; it involves the way each and every one of us uses our water in our daily lives. The road signs indicating Canberra’s daily water use are a constant reminder that the whole community has a role to play in the responsible use of water. I am pleased to say that, on the residential front, Canberrans and the ACT government, through rebate and incentive programs, are working together to reduce the demand for potable water. This suite of incentives and rebate has had an excellent level of response from the community and will be expanded in the 2009-10 year.
The ToiletSmart program has been introduced to assist ACT residential property owners to replace single-flush toilets with water-efficient dual-flush toilets. It is estimated that water savings every year for an average Canberra household of two to three people is 36,600 litres of water. During the 2008 program, 2,263 single-flush toilets were replaced, and as at 30 June this year, as part of the 2009 program, 1,507 registrations had been received.
The government provides a $100 rebate on the cost of a suite of toilet models from Caroma, bringing the range of prices for a standard installation from $390 to $898. This government also acknowledges that some members of the community would not necessarily be able to take part in this program, and therefore provides the basic model of dual-flush toilets free of charge to holders of pensioner concession cards.
The government is also keen to evaluate the success of the program. Since the commencement of the program, 2,218 surveys have been sent to participants. Some 53 per cent of those surveys have been returned and completed as of 30 June 2009, with 95 per cent of survey participants satisfied with the overall service provided by the ToiletSmart program and 93 per cent satisfied with their new ToiletSmart toilet suites.
Another program, this time concentrated on water use outside the house, is the GardenSmart program. It has been running since 2004 and aims to assist Canberrans to maintain a healthy garden while minimising water use. The program provides expert horticultural advice on plant choice, garden design and maintenance during a home garden visit with the participant. Following the GardenSmart visit, participants are eligible for a rebate up to $50 on selected water-efficient products. It is estimated that the saving potential of the program is 29,000 litres per household per year. During the 2008-09 financial year, 1,232 GardenSmart visits were made. This is a great uptake with great opportunities for water savings.
Evaluations have been made as part of the program with equally strong supportive results. We have provided surveys and held focus groups, and a strong level of satisfaction with the service and the advice provided has been expressed. Of the survey respondents, 93 were satisfied to very satisfied, and of the focus groups, two-thirds were very satisfied and one-third were satisfied with the service.
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