Leading the way for a sustainable future water supply

LOCAL businesses in Northern Rivers are making significant strides in water conservation, saving the equivalent of almost four Olympic swimming pools per year.

Rous County Council has recognised eight Reflections Holiday parks, located between Evans Head and Brunswick Heads, for their commitment to water efficiency.

The parks have saved up to 8.9 million litres annually through various initiatives.

Ballina Shire mayor Sharon Cadwallader said working to minimise water demand from big water users was an important part of water sustainability.

“As we all try to navigate the cost-of-living, stretching our dollars to make ends meet, and that includes saving water.

“This shouldn’t stop when we go on holidays.

“Preserving our precious water is making a tangible difference to our water supply and I’m delighted that a partnership with Reflections Holiday Parks have joined with Rous County Council to do their bit in helping preserve our precious resource.”

Rous and Reflections collaborated on this project, which began with comprehensive onsite water audits.

The audits formed recommendations that Reflections assessed, planned, and acted upon to conserve the region’s drinking water supply.

The completed projects focused on addressing immediate leaks and upgrading more than 300 showers to water-efficient alternatives.

Permanent digital water meters, known as smart water meters, were installed to continuously monitor and detect water leaks in a timely manner.

Reflections executive manager of property development and planning Cameron Tynan said the project was a catalyst for Reflections to enhance visibility of water consumption and potential losses at all of our holiday parks across NSW.

“The initial water efficiency investigations supported by Rous, led to immediate actions as well as long-term projects that will not only reduce our water footprint but our energy consumption as well,” Tynan said.

The Sustainable Water Partner Program by Rous County Council supported this project.

“This is just one example of local business and council working together to identify projects with dual benefits for both business operations and water sustainability by reducing demand on our region’s limited drinking water supply,” Rous Group manager of planning and delivery Andrew Logan said.

He highlighted that last financial year saw participating businesses receive both planning support and rebates totalling $30,000, with annual cost savings of $10,000 achieved by implementing projects that optimise their water use.

Rous County Council, in partnership with local councils including Byron, Ballina, Lismore, and Richmond Valley, aims to support businesses within the bulk water supply network through the Sustainable Water Partner Program.