Local partnership drives water saving

CLOSE to four million litres of drinking water has been saved locally through a new partnership between Barwon Water and Australia’s largest co-op housing provider.

Throughout the 2024-25 financial year, water improvements were carried out at more than 40 properties owned by Common Equity Housing Limited (CEHL) from Corio through to Torquay and Ocean Grove.

Initiatives included the installation of new tapware and fittings in kitchens, bathrooms, showers, laundries and gardens; the repair and replacement of leaking toilet cisterns; showerhead replacement and leak detection and repairs.

Delivered via Barwon Water’s Community Housing Retrofit Program (CHRP), the partnership helped tenants avoid $9,382 worth of water charges, saving 3.83 million litres of drinking water.

Barwon Water general manager of planning, delivery and environment Seamus Butcher said a variety of relatively small changes could make a big difference to water savings.

“By installing new taps, fixing leaks or upgrading toilets from single flush to dual flush, the efficiency of properties can be vastly improved,” Mr Butcher said.

“We’re committed to actively supporting our customers, keeping bills affordable and helping them to be sustainable with their water us.

“Programs such as this also strengthen our water efficiency and help to secure supplies for our growing region.”

Sustainability director of CEFL’s Phoenix Co-op in Geelong, Gabrielle Griffin said it was worth making every drop of water count, especially during dry conditions.

“It’s one of those unseen things – leaks and drips from old or inefficient fixings,” she said.

“These savings will benefit the members of our co-op. As a co-op director, I can see how this will save money on less plumbing in the long run.”

Barwon Water has a longer-term aim to save an extra one billion litres of drinking water in the five years to 2028, by partnering with its customers.

For more information, head to barwonwater.vic.gov.au/water-and-waste/saving-water