Wanneroo Council adopts plan to improve water efficiency

A WATERWISE action plan adopted by Wanneroo Council aims to improve water efficiency and climate resilience.

The plan is required for Water Corporation to endorse the City as a waterwise council and includes 48 actions, including seven already completed.

A September council report said the plan did not affect water provision for the agricultural sector in north Wanneroo.

It said despite saving groundwater use in the urban environment, the City did not support water licence allocation cuts in north Wanneroo because it would have a negative impact on its agricultural and economic prosperity.

If endorsed as a waterwise council, the City could receive $10,000 a year in State funding to support rebate initiatives for low water use verges, street trees, plant sales and demonstration gardens.

The plan said the Gnangara Mound underlay the City, and was a valuable water source for public and private supplies, including households and horticulture.

It said the City had more than 180 assets serviced by scheme water, including sporting complexes, reserves, surf life saving clubs, golf courses, community centres, the showground, toilet blocks and bushfire brigade buildings.

The report said annual water use was at a five-year low in 2018-19 with 77,861kL used, compared to 89,161kL used in 2016-17. Kingsway Regional Open Space used the most water with 324,637L used in 2018-19.

The plan said that was a significant reduction since 2014-15, when 431,924L was used, as a result of water efficiency projects.

One of the goals in the plan was to reduce corporate scheme water usage in the City by 15 per cent by 2024-25 from 2016-17 levels.

Another was to reduce community water usage to 85kL a year per person by 2024-25 from 98kL in 2016-17.