Community Education


North East Water Community Awareness Program


North East Water is committed to further developing and enhancing our ongoing commitment to communities and the awareness of sustainable water use. We do this through:

 

 Community Presentations

North East Water is available to present and talk to community groups on their town's water supply system, North East Water's strategies including town system options as outlined in the Water Supply Demand Strategy, water use, water wise products and water conservation.

Please contact the North East Water Education Officer for more information and to book in your group.

 

Community Events & Promotions

North East Water coordinates and participates in a number of events throughout our catchment involving our local communities. Through displays, educational activities, competitions and awards we aim to raise community awareness and empower our customers to be more water wise. 


Swap & Save Showerhead Exchange program


On average 30% of all household water is used in the shower, the highest of all household appliances!

One of the easiest and best ways to save water in your house is by swapping your old showerhead to a new 3-Star water efficient showerhead and taking shorter showers. It can save you up to 12,000 Litres of water every year and can save you energy and money too!

The North East Water 'Swap & Save' Showerhead exchange program is available to all North East Water customers on reticulated water. Participants need to fill in a Registration Form, available from the North East Water office, and bring it along with your old showerhead and arm and your water bill to our Head Office at Level 1 Hovell Street Wodonga or contact us on 1300 361 622.

Participants who swap their old showerhead will receive a new Free 3-star water efficient model and a water saving kit containing a shower timer, magnet, toilet leak tester, information on rebates, water wise gardening and other ways to save water in and around the house.

The new 3-Star water efficient showerheads are not designed for gravity fed systems. Tenants must obtain permission from their real estate agent or landlord to participate in the program.

Showerhead exchanges are now available at regional council offices throughout our region, and at our head office at Level 1, 104 Hovell St, Wodonga.  Remember to bring along your old showerhead, a copy of your account and a completed application form.

For more information download the Swap & Save Flyer, or contact North East Water on 1300 361 622.

 

North East Water - Water Saver Awards

The Water Saver Awards are one way North East Water recognises, encourages and rewards customers to conserve water across the region. Each year the awards invites the Corporation's customers to demonstrate their efforts of saving water in the house and garden. The awards involve extensive home water audits of each entrant and provide an opportunity for our customers to showcase the extent in which they go to, to save water. 

The 2009 Water Saver Awards saw six households from throughout North East Victoria to be exceptional water savers. The six were part of a 40-strong field of entrants. The awards revealed that residents are implementing some amazing initiatives to save and use every drop of water. From diverting their down pipes to water their gardens and lawn areas to installing tanks and large containers (some with fish to keep the mozzies down) to collect and reuse rainwater, using mulch on all garden areas, to reusing water from their washing machines in their toilets and gardens.

Some of our 2009 winning households are using less than 10 kilolitres per quarter, which is an incredible achievement when you consider that our average annual usage is currently around 266 kilolitres. The 2009 award winners attended a presentation where they each received a prestigious trophy and a $200 voucher for their choice of a nursery, hardware store, or Whitegoods store.


Savewater

Savewater provides an extensive array of information on water saving products, water conservation practices, competitions and resources. The website provides an array of water saving tips, tricks and case studies for domestic, commerical, industrial and agricultural water use. For more information go to the Savewater website: www.savewater.com.au

 

Treatment Plant Tours

North East Water offers tours to our water and wastewater treatment plants including Wodonga and Wangaratta and some of our other smaller regional plants.  Community and school groups (students from Grade 3 and above who are undertaking a water unit at school) are encouraged to see first-hand the water or wastewater treatment process at one of our plants. 

To book in for a Treatment Plant Tour download the Treatment Plant Tour Policy and fill in the required Booking Form. North East Water only permits students from Grade 3 and above to take treatment plant site tours. For more information on Treatment Plant Tours contact the North East Water Education Officer.


Water Conservation

How to save water inside the home

Water is one of our most precious natural resources, so it's important to use it wisely.

Wise water use will help protect the environment, reducing the need for more reservoirs. It can also save you money, because your water account is based on how much water you use. Here are some useful hints for reducing water consumption in the home.

In the bathroom

  • Turn the tap off while you're brushing your teeth. If you brush your teeth twice a day for 3 minutes and leave the tap running you will use around 5 litres per minute. That is 10,950 litres per year, per person.
  • Install a flow-reducing shower rose in your bathroom. Most "older style" shower heads use 20 litres of water, or more, per minute. If you install a new water-efficient shower head it will only use 9 litres of water per minute ? This is a saving of up to 28,000 litres of water per person, per year.
  • Fix leaking taps. Dripping taps can sometimes go undetected if the drip is very slow. To check for leaks tie a dry cloth around the tap, leave it overnight and check in the morning. You will then know whether or not the washer needs replacing.

Fix leaking toilets

  • Check if your toilet is leaking by putting a few drops of food colouring in the cistern. If the colour appears in the bowl without flushing you know you have a leak and should contact a plumber.
  • Replace your single flush cistern with a dual-flush cistern. This will save up to 5 litres of water per flush. In a household of 2 adults and 2 children this can amount to a saving of 36,180 litres of water per year.

In the kitchen

  • Fill your dishwasher before you turn it on. A dishwasher can use 50 litres of water each time you use it so make sure that it's full.
  • Use a plug.  In the kitchen, laundry or bathroom, use the plug. Fill the sink or basin with the amount of water you need, then turn the tap off.

In the laundry

  • Fill your washing machine before you turn it on. A washing machine can use 150 litres of water each time you use it so make sure you adjust the water level to suit your wash load.
  • Use a bucket.  If you need to soak clothes, use a bucket instead of the trough.

How to save water outside the home

Water is one of our most precious natural resources, so it's important to use it wisely. Wise water use will help protect the environment, reducing the need for more reservoirs. It can also save you money, because your water account is based on how much water you use. Here are some useful hints for reducing water consumption outside the home.

Don't over water your lawn

If the grass springs back after you've stepped on it, it does not need water. When the grass begins to wilt or lose colour, soak it well enough to dampen 15cm of soil. Water your garden at night and install timers on taps to turn off sprinklers. Forgotten sprinklers can use up to 1000 litres of water each hour. Don't hose paths, sweep them.

Mulch your garden

Mulching provides excellent nutrients to your plants and will reduce natural evaporation by up to 75%. Group shrubs according to their water needs. This will mean you can water everything in the area without over watering certain plants. Consider reducing your lawn area (lawns are the most thirsty item in your garden). You can lay pavers, coloured pebbles or increase garden bed sizes without losing the overall look of your garden.

Remove Weeds

Weeds compete for water and nutrients. A good mulch will help prevent weeds growing.

Group Plants

Group plants according to how much water they require. By grouping plants into high or low water users, a watering pattern can be designed to prevent waste on plants that don't need a lot of water.

Washing the car

Use a bucket and sponge to wash the car, boat or caravan and do it on the lawn instead of the driveway. Use the hose only for rinsing and turn it off between rinses or use a trigger hose.

Swimming Pools

Cover your pool to reduce evaporation and keep dirt and leaves out. Check the pool for leaks.

 

 Contact

For more information on the North East Water Education Program please contact our Education Officer on:

PO Box 863
Wodonga, Victoria 3689
Level 1, Hovell Street
Wodonga, Victoria 3690

General: 1300 361 622
Direct: 02 6022 0580
Email: education@nerwa.vic.gov.au Â