Our Water Our Vote
Transcription
Our Water Our Vote
our water our vote Action for a Water Efficient Victoria! Screening parliamentary candidates to gauge their willingness to usher in new and significant measures to achieve water efficiency in Victoria A November 2010 state election initiative of The Watermark Australia project (Victorian Women’s Trust) and the Alternative Technology Association (ATA) 1 our water our vote Imagine…… You walk around our cities like Melbourne or Geelong and the towns around the State. Everywhere you look there are signs of smart, efficient use of water. Gardens flourish with beautiful drought-resistant plants watered by tank or grey water. You see rainwater tanks of differing sizes in suburban backyards just about everywhere too. Go inside houses, schools, leisure centres, hospitals, public buildings, factories and business premises, and you find they have all been retro-fitted with low cost water efficient technologies. Large tanks are commonplace in open spaces and on industrial sites. Other open areas collect rainwater too. Huge rubber bladders have been “planted” under these spaces. Stay in a hotel or motel and you find dual flush toilets, water efficient shower roses and squirt taps. During every storm event, millions of litres of water are trapped and later treated and reticulated for use. Small solar-powered water treatment plants are dotted across the landscape. Waste water (treated sewage) is available and able to be used outside homes and on public open space. All new suburban developments – houses and apartments blocks – are seen as a great opportunity to construct buildings that are water and energy efficient. City skyscrapers now test their fire sprinkler systems by flushing captured stormwater rather than wasting fresh water. Spaces under these buildings are now used to capture and store water. There are water treatment plants in basements. It is taken for granted that when possible, industries now use the same water over and over again in various manufacturing processes. Welcome to Victoria in 2020. It has become – through vision, commitment and substantial investment of public funds – an exemplary water efficient State! To all Candidates All sitting members in both Victoria’s Lower and Upper Houses, as well as potential new members, are being delivered this document. We ask that you read it carefully, including the details on how we intend to follow up on responses prior to the election and during the life of the new Parliament. In particular, you will see on the following pages, a range of key commitments that would lead to significant improvements in water efficiency across the State. We ask that you give each of these measures your serious consideration and select those which you are prepared to actively champion if you are elected to the new Victorian Parliament. 2 introduction and rationale A State election is due on 27 November 2010. Water policy will rightly be on the public agenda. In the recent past, a number of major pipelines have been built so that parts of rural Victoria are now more inter-connected to reticulated water supply systems, thus reducing their exposure to the impacts of prolonged dry periods. Topics of real interest to many voters will be the desalination plant and the Sugarloaf Pipeline. These infrastructure projects were commissioned with water security in mind. They do not, however, sufficiently address the critical need for greater water efficiency. A high level of water efficiency is what is required to reach a more sustainable water future. To achieve this, we need nothing short of a revolution in our thinking and practices around water efficiency and we need to start this dramatic turnaround now. Consider the following. Our rainfall and stream flows across Victoria are highly variable. We are among the highest water users per capita on Earth. Most of our suitable catchments and river systems have now been dammed. We have been slow to capture and use stormwater in our cities and towns. We are drawing on precious groundwater reserves without knowing the actual volumes that exist in our aquifers. We have also been tardy in re-using waste water even though the technology exists to treat waste water to required standards. The barriers to substantial up-take of stormwater harvesting and waste water re-use are not technical; they are mindsets and these can be changed. Climate change in our part of the world will translate into a substantial reduction in the frequency of rainfall events, reduced surface water running into our storages, more extreme high temperature days each year, drier land and soils and a greater risk of major bushfires. As well, it is predicted there will be a substantial decline in surface water runoff for 28 out of 29 of Victoria’s major surface water management areas.1 Recent winter rains, floods and welcome increases in our storages need to be seen in perspective. There will be further periods of dry and further downturns in storage levels. Coupled with this, the populations of Melbourne, Geelong, Bendigo, Ballarat and various Victorian towns are expected to increase. If ever there was a time when we need to consolidate our thinking about the best, most efficient use of our water resources, it is now. If ever we needed a vision for future sustainable water use, it is now. If ever we are to make a bold and concerted policy and program effort to become a truly water efficient State, the forthcoming election needs to be the effective starting point. Central to this challenge is the need to recast the concept of water efficiency as a core element of sustainable water management. ‘Water efficiency’ is a term in common use within the water sector and government. Narrowly defined, it focuses on ways of reducing direct water consumption, such as cutting down shower times or not hosing driveways. This approach to efficiency suggests that we become water efficient simply when we use less water in everyday activities. It ignores the fact, that despite recent reductions in water consumption, we still waste too much high-quality fresh water. 1 Department of Sustainability and Environment, State Water Report, 2004-2005: A statement of Victorian water resources, DSE, Melbourne, 2006. 3 introduction and rationale Real water efficiency is reached when we significantly reduce the volumes of potable water and when we use all available water (rainfall, stormwater, treated waste water) again, and again, before we finally discharge it. It also includes a recognition of the amounts of water embodied in the production and delivery of goods and services and strategies and technologies to drive these amounts down without compromising quality. Using less water in these processes is also a vitally important part of achieving efficiency (Our Water Mark 2007:89-90). In June 2009, the Environment and Natural Resources Committee (ENRC) of the Victorian Parliament reported on its Inquiry Into Melbourne’s Future Water Supply. This is an important document, reflecting detailed public consultation. It contains many clear, well-conceived and strong recommendations for action that would considerably raise the bar in achieving a more water efficient city. It also helps sort out thinking for achieving a greater level of water efficiency across the State. The Victorian Government issued its response to the ENRC Report in March 2010, indicating the recommendations it supported, those where it felt more examination was needed and those it did not support. When the Government’s response is taken as a whole, there is a disappointing sense that a ‘business as usual’ or ‘steady as she goes’ approach is sufficient; and that there is, therefore, no real need to considerably ramp up the scope and scale of measures necessary for Victoria to become a truly water efficient State. Our Water Our Vote rejects this approach as one that meanders between complacency and unrealised gains. The decade ahead is the time we have to make an extraordinary effort to climate-proof Victoria as much as is practically possible. Our Water Our Vote identifies a series of important policy and program initiatives that can be addressed by the next Victorian Parliament. Many of these reflect the ENRC Report. Additional measures derive from the work of the Watermark Australia project, the Alternative Technology Association and other community-led initiatives. A concerted effort to achieve high levels of Statewide water efficiency over the next decade will require substantial budget commitments and even greater levels of behaviour change. This is where the existing public dividend paid to consolidated revenue by Melbourne Water and Melbourne’s three publicly-owned water retailers (Yarra Valley Water, South Eastern Water and City West Water) can come into play. Between 2003-04 and 2007-08, the public dividend from these four agencies alone raised close to one billion dollars (ENRC 2009: 324). It is both logical and sensible to draw from the annual public dividend paid by water authorities around the State over the next two parliamentary terms to finance the range of metropolitan and Statewide programs that will lead to a truly water efficient Victoria. Victoria is a prosperous and strong economy. We can clearly afford to invest significant resources to achieve a more water efficient and sustainable water future. We need major policy and program changes if we are to avoid more desalination plants with their attendant huge energy requirements and further environmental and economic impacts. What is wanted is a new Parliament, from November 2010 onwards, that is prepared to adopt the requisite vision and political commitment to lead the way. 4 action for a water efficient Victoria! Our Water Our Vote – Action for a Water Efficient Victoria The following proposals represent an important suite of practical actions that would dramatically lift water efficiency in Victoria over the next decade and create a more sustainable water future. These proposed actions would have Statewide application to cities and towns, businesses, institutions and recreation spaces. In the main, most of the proposed actions are in line with many of the recommendations of the 2009 Inquiry and Report from the Environment and Natural Resources Committee (ENRC) of the Victorian Parliament. The ENRC Report is a consolidation of a great deal of careful thinking and consultation. The Government’s formal response to this Report is, however, disappointingly limited. What is needed are visionary and ambitious water efficiency programs, kick-started by a stronger political commitment from the next Victorian Parliament, 2010–2014. 1. A new daily domestic consumption target All sectors – agriculture, domestic and industrial – need to strive for maximum water efficiency. In an average suburban home, about half of household water is used in bathrooms, while gardening, laundry and kitchen make up the remainder (ENRC 2009:18). Daily domestic water use decreased from 423 litres (L) per person in the 1990s to 279L in 2007-08 (ENRC 2009:18). The Victorian Government rightly deemed this unsustainable and launched a 155L per person per day campaign in late 2008. Climate change projections, low water storage levels and population increase mean this current target remains too high. Even at 155L per person per day, we still rank in the top five water users in the OECD. Recent experience in South East Queensland (reducing daily consumption from 300L per person to 129L per person per day) indicates that more ambitious targets are achievable.2 To back this up, a 2009 survey of Victorian water users conducted by the Alternative Technology Association found that households with water efficient fixtures such as dual flush toilets and efficient showerheads used well under 155L per person per day while households with rainwater tanks and greywater systems used well under 100L per person per day of mains water.3 I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to introduce a new daily target for domestic consumption of mains water – moving from the current 155L per person per day mains water to 120L per person per day, then further down to 100L per person per day by 2013. The target needs to be supported by home retrofitting for water efficiency to assist householders to reduce their reliance on mains water and find other water sources to supplement their mains consumption (see following sections). This target should be independently monitored and reviewed within two years by Victoria’s Auditor-General for its effectiveness in reducing water consumption. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government – in line with ENRC Recommendation 3.18 – to extend the Water Smart Gardens and Homes Rebate Scheme to include a greater range of water efficient and water conservation products, in particular water efficient washing machines (those that use up to 50 per cent less water). 2 3 http://www.qwc.qld.gov.au/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=266 http://www.ata.org.au/news/victorian-government-should-keep-focus-on-water-conservation/ 5 action for a water efficient Victoria! 2. Improving the water efficiency of small and medium businesses Agriculture is the largest user of available water in Australia, accounting for approximately 75% of water used. The remaining 25% is distributed between urban-domestic use (12%); industrial use (8%); while rural stock and domestic use represents approximately 5% of the total.4 Currently there are around 1,750 non-residential water users throughout Victoria and each of them use at least 10 megalitres (ML – million litres) of this water per year.5 These users are primarily commercial operations such as factories, manufacturing plants, and hospitals, with food and beverage processors being some of the largest users. About 1200 of these are based in Melbourne and 550 are in regional Victoria. The Victorian Government has two major initiatives that encourage these larger non-residential water users to become more water efficient. The WaterMAP program regulates all non-residential sites using more than 10 ML of water per year. These sites are required to have a Water Management Plan that identifies how water will be used more efficiently in the future. The Environment and Resource Efficiency Program (EREP) requires all industrial and commercial sites using over 120 ML annually to identify actions to reduce water, energy and waste generation and implement these actions that will pay for themselves within three years.6, 7 This emphasis on improved efficiency has contributed to a sector-wide reduction in water consumption by 38% compared to the 1990s average (ENRC 2009:101). However, the ENRC Report (2009:101) notes that these particular water efficiency initiatives do not apply to small and medium non-residential water users (i.e. those using less than 10 ML per year) even though these water users have the potential to achieve significant cost effective water savings. In this regard, there is a program in place – the Support 155 program, which operates on a voluntary basis and to-date has involved 3500 businesses. In the overall scheme of things, this is an insignificant number of businesses. To affect a more substantial take-up and coverage across the State, the Support 155 program needs substantial recasting – replacing voluntary participation with a formal requirement to achieve water efficiency. 6 I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government – in line with ENRC Recommendation 3.23 – to develop a Strategy by 2012 that requires small to medium-sized, non-residential water users (using less than 10 ML per year) to create water management action plans, set best practice benchmarks , provide staff training, improve water efficiency and further reduce reliance on potable water. 4 5 6 7 http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/saving/industry/watermap/about-watermap http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/saving/industry/watermap/about-watermap http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/saving/industry/watermap Guidelines: Environment and Resource Efficiency Plans, August 2008, publication 1198.1, p8 http://epanote2.epa.vic.gov.au/EPA/Publications.nsf/2f1c2625731746aa4a256ce90001cbb5/f6e737f5ff7695 abca2574800021e0b9/$FILE/1198.1.pdf action for a water efficient Victoria! 3. Widespread retrofitting of homes According to the most recent Greenlight survey carried out for Sustainability Victoria, 34% of households have rainwater tanks; 28% have front-loading washing machines.8 Dual-flush toilets are present in 88% of households and low-flow showerheads in 71% of households. Greywater recycling systems are employed in only 8% of households. Installation of low cost water efficient water fixtures such as squirt taps, flow restrictors, dual flush toilets, low-flow shower heads are now well recognised as effective conservation measures that can be easily installed in homes and apartments. Dead-space water valves can also assist with the problem of cold water being stored in pipes between hot water units and points of use. There needs to be a concerted effort to close the gap in retrofitting all homes for increased water efficiency. The lead role here belongs to government – encouraging and subsidising retrofitting through metropolitan and Statewide programs over the decade. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to climate-proof half the state’s existing homes through a comprehensive and flexible package of water efficiency measures in line with the community-led One Million Homes: a 2010 Energy and Water Efficiency campaign.9 In the interests of social equity, the programs should, in the first instance, target public housing and the homes of concession cardholders. 4. Widespread retrofitting of the non-residential sector Installing low cost water efficient fixtures shouldn’t be limited to residential dwellings. Significant water savings will also result from retrofitting the non-residential sector. For this to happen, flow restrictors, dual flush toilets, dead-space water valves and pressure reduction valves need to be adopted across industry and businesses, hospitals, schools, government agencies and sport and leisure centres (ENRC 2009:95). I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to establish an additional financial incentive scheme that encourages non-residential users to adopt low-cost water efficient fixtures. 8 9 2009 Green Light Report, Sustainability Victoria. http://greenlightreport.sustainability.vic.gov.au/sustainability/household-water-saving-equipment/ One Million Homes Alliance; ATA, BSL, CUAC, EV, FoE, Just Change, MEFL, Uniting Church of Australia, VCOSS, VLGA., (July 2010), One Million Homes; A 2010 Energy and Water Efficiency campaign, www.environmentvictoria.org.au/onemillionhomes 7 action for a water efficient Victoria! 5. Extensive use of stormwater Stormwater runoff in towns and cities across Victoria represents a large and greatly under-utilised resource. In Melbourne alone, between 400 and 500 gigalitres (one gigalitre equals one billion litres) of stormwater runs off Melbourne’s urban catchment annually, which is a similar or greater volume than total annual mains water use of the city (ENRC 2009:117). Currently, this resource is scarcely utilised.10 While the Federal Government and other states in Australia have been active in instituting stormwater reclamation projects, Victoria stands out by its relative inaction in this area. This is reinforced by the modest amounts that have been committed to the Stormwater and Urban Water Conservation Fund since 2004 and the limited number of projects financed by this Fund.11 I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government – in line with ENRC Recommendation 4.1 – to complete the Statewide Urban Stormwater Strategy as a matter of urgency and include detailed recommendations on allocation rules. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to significantly augment the Stormwater and Urban Water Conservation Fund for at least two further terms of parliament so that there can be more extensive design and implementation of stormwater infrastructure around the State. 6. Increased capture of rainwater The use of rainwater tanks to collect potable water has long been a part of rural life in Victoria. Recent years have seen an uptake of rainwater tanks in urban and peri-urban areas around Victoria. The Water-Supply Demand Strategy for Melbourne 2006-2055, however, states that less than one gigalitre of water is currently collected through rainwater in Melbourne.12 More extensive use of rainwater tanks will bring substantial benefits – offsetting the effects of water restrictions; improving the taste of water in areas of poorer water quality and helping to address scarcity. Importantly, rainwater tanks are more than five times as energy efficient as desalination plants per kilolitre of water produced.13 While the Government’s Water Smart Gardens and Homes Rebate Scheme has assisted many households to purchase rainwater tanks, a greater level of rebate would allow more households to afford this step. A further limiting factor is that the existing scheme applies only to homes in urban mains reticulated areas, which excludes many other Victorians. 8 I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to adopt alternative financial incentive models to increase the Statewide take-up of rainwater collection systems, such as rainwater tank financial loan schemes through water retailers or water pricing incentives for residential and non-residential sites to plumb rainwater indoors. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to resource a community-led education program to achieve best-practice rainwater use. Such an initiative could include general awareness-raising for consumers, best practice advice regarding rainwater tank installation and use, as well as an offer of customised household appraisals. 10 11 12 13 Department of Sustainability and Environment, Sustainable Water Strategy Central Region: Action to 2055, Victorian Government, Melbourne, 2006, p. 59 http://www.ourwater.vic.gov.au/saving/towns WaterSmart, Water-Supply Demand Strategy for Melbourne 2006-2055, Melbourne, 2006, pg.12 Marsden Jacob Associates, The economics of Rainwater Tanks and Alternative Water Supply Options: A Report Prepared for Australian Conservation Foundation, Nature Conservation Council (NSW) and Environment Victoria, 2007, pg.7 action for a water efficient Victoria! 7. Protecting groundwater resources Groundwater is used as drinking water in more than 80 cities and towns, for crop irrigation, stock, dairy cleaning, and for domestic gardening and cleaning. Irrigators, domestic and stock users, and urban dwellers rely more on groundwater during drought (Victorian Auditor General 2010: vii). For approximately half of these, it is the primary source of water. Groundwater use is increasing sharply, as illustrated by the fact that in just two years between 2005-07, consumption volumes rose by 44% (ENRC 2009: 221). Across the State there is a significant number of unlicensed bores. In addition, there has been a large increase in the number of bore construction licenses issued in Greater Melbourne over recent years, despite water levels in the groundwater systems having fallen across the State. However, there is no metering of groundwater use in Melbourne and water restrictions do not apply (ENRC 2009:xxiii). There are notable gaps and inconsistencies in the information about groundwater. The recent Auditor General Report (October 2010) notes that the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and water corporations do not know whether groundwater use is sustainable. While a robust planning framework and planning tools have been developed, their effectiveness is undermined by inadequate groundwater data and monitoring, and delayed development and implementation of management tools. Licensing, metering and compliance monitoring activities are not rigorous enough to assure DSE or water corporations about who extracts groundwater and how much they extract. There is also insufficient data about groundwater reserves and sustainable extraction rates. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government, as a matter of high priority, to commission a comprehensive Statewide assessment and measurement of the actual volume of water in Victorian aquifers, the interaction of groundwater with surface water levels (including salt water) and reliable indicators as to what constitutes a sustainable yield. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to review the powers of the Water Authorities to enable them to undertake inspection regimes aimed at detecting unlicensed bores. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government – in line with ENRC Recommendation 6.1 – to place a moratorium on the issue of all new bore construction and groundwater extraction licenses in aquifers covered by Greater Melbourne. 8. New water recycling and reuse targets Expanding population, prolonged dry conditions and increasing cost of potable water have provided a stimulus for improvement in wastewater reuse. Clearly, replacing high-quality drinking water with recycled water for non-potable uses such as processing and cooling in industry, toilet flushing in medium to large scale amenities, environmental allocations such as deep aquifer recharge and other uses should be seen as an opportunity for income generation as well as enhanced water security. In addition, water recycling delivers a significant environmental benefit resulting from reduced discharge of nutrient-rich or even toxic waste into our waterways and the ocean. To reduce the negative environmental and economic impacts associated with the energy use required in treating and pumping wastewater, all treatment plants or systems should aim for local sources and local distribution. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government – in line with ENRC Recommendation 5.2 – to establish new recycling and reuse targets – 50% by 2012 and 70% by 2015. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government – in line with ENRC Recommendation 5.3 – to move toward the prohibition of wastewater discharge into waterways and the ocean. 9 action for a water efficient Victoria! 9. Water efficiency incorporated into building standards The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) has made commitments to develop a National Strategy for Energy Efficiency to help households and businesses reduce energy costs. The Federal Government has also proposed mandatory disclosure of residential building energy, greenhouse and water performance at the time of sale or lease, commencing with energy efficiency by May 2011.14 A comprehensive approach which accounts for the interrelations between energy, water and waste is central to achieving economic and environmentally sustainable buildings. Water efficiency should be as high a priority as energy efficiency. Mandated water efficiency standards should be established at the same time as energy efficiency and other environmental sustainability standards, rather than built in at a later date. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to give water efficiency the same level of urgency as energy efficiency. In line with the ENRC Recommendation 3.15, an environmental sustainability assessment and rating system for buildings that includes water efficiency should be applied to all new, altered and existing housing types and non-residential buildings at the point of occupation, sale or lease. 10. Efficient water use in our sport, recreation and open space areas Victorians have a passion for sport and recreation. Playing fields, running tracks, race tracks, bowling greens, tennis courts and open space areas are valued parts of our communities, towns and suburbs. With some vision, two important outcomes can be achieved – we can maintain the quality of these spaces in the face of prolonged dry periods; and significantly reduce dependence on using high quality (mains) water. Rainfall can be captured from buildings and used for irrigation. Stormwater can also be captured from roads and public buildings in and around these important green spaces and stored for irrigation.15 In some situations, using treated waste water may even be appropriate. 10 I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to alter the existing Stormwater and Urban Water Conservation Fund in two important ways: • to extend the cover to include rural and regional Victoria; and • to introduce greater flexibility to the application process, enabling many more local communities and sports organisations across the State to undertake appropriate infrastructure programs. I am prepared to urge the Victorian Government to create a new Green Spaces Fund which helps schools and sports organisations to assess and develop the best water efficiency plan to keep their green spaces alive, whether this be through stormwater reuse, waste water reuse or alternative ground covers. 14 15 http://www.climatechange.gov.au/what-you-need-to-know/buildings.aspx For more information on stormwater reclamation see www.watersensitivecities.org.au/ and http://www.stormwatervictoria.com.au/ action for a water efficient Victoria! Water use efficiency can mean more than just using less water. Any improvement to water use efficiency will conserve existing water supplies by using and wasting less water. Additionally, water efficiency also means using water more wisely, for example, using alternative sources or various qualities of water for different purposes. Environment and Natural Resources Committee Inquiry Into Melbourne’s Future Water Supply June 2009 “ Conservation arguments appear to have influence with decision makers only when it is too late … if the history of our engagement with this environment has taught us anything at all, it should be that we have been blind-sided by our arrogance. It should have taught us humility. Dr Ken Henry, Treasury Secretary in The Age, Monday 29 March 2010 “ Using alternative sources of water that are ‘fit-for-purpose’ is an efficient outcome because the highest quality and most valuable water, that is potable drinking water is saved by substituting it for water of lesser quality. Fit-for-purpose water may include treated recycled water, rainwater, stormwater or groundwater for some household purposes, use on plants and gardens, irrigation and industry. “ “ 11 our water our vote The process from here… Your completed Our Water Our Vote needs to be returned to the Watermark Australia Office, Level 1, 388 Bourke Street, Melbourne no later than Friday, 5 November for processing by Watermark and ATA. Depending on which electorate you represent, your completed response may be collected by staff and project volunteers. We will be in touch with you closer to the time. We suggest that you make a photocopy of your responses, for your own records, prior to returning this document to the Watermark office. Once all responses are collated, they will be made widely available – at State and local levels – through a range of print, electronic and social media. So that voters are informed of candidate commitments, every effort will be made to ensure that the outcomes are publicised extensively prior to the election on 27 November. These responses will also be tracked through the life of the new parliament – by regular monitoring of the Hansard parliamentary record as well as through annual communication with sitting members. Should you have any queries about the Candidate Screening process, please feel free to contact our staff at the offices of either of the two partner organisations listed below: Email: [email protected] Phone: (03) 9642 0422 Mobile: 0423 121 300 Level 1, 388 Bourke Street Melbourne Vic 3000 www.watermark.org.au An initiative of Watermark Australia (Victorian Women’s Trust) & the Alternative Technology Association Email: [email protected] Phone: (03) 9639 1500 Level 1, 39 Little Collins Street Melbourne Vic 3000 www.ata.org.au The Victorian Women’s Trust and the Alternative Technology Association gratefully acknowledge the private donor support that has enabled this initiative to proceed. 12
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