Wellbeing Benefits
Clean fresh water from the tap is, for most people in the world, a luxury. As the Australian water supply is stretched, recycled and sterilised at the expense of our waterways we expose ourselves to toxic algae, chemically treated water and an increased vulnerability to severe drought. Many people across the globe are not so lucky, and a lack of water and associated diseases kills tens of millions of children each year. So water wisely, and conserve this precious resource.
Environmental Benefit
Almost every river and wetland system in Australia is under stress from human withdrawal of water. River red gums, fish breeding stocks and the estuary systems at the end of these rivers are dying. The human need for water is continuing to expand in the face of this silent death of our rivers. This action moves us toward being as efficient with our water use as nature is. A tall order indeed.
By capturing and using the rain that falls on our houses - water that currently flows into the stormwater drain - we are taking another step in increasing our water efficiency, and conserving this precious resource. Have a plumber redirect your down pipes into a tank for storage and install pumps and pipes to service some of your household water needs. By these simple actions, most Australian households would save at least 45,000 litres and hundreds of dollars per year.
Simple actions you can try today!
Scope out the benefit of installing a rainwater harvesting system in your home, explore government rebates and think medium to long term.
1. Get some advice & a quote
Contact a local rainwater tank and tank-to-toilet installation specialist in your area to get some expert advice and a quote on installation. There are a wide variety of garden centres and irrigation businesses retailing water tanks in and around Wyndham. Just check out the Yellow Pages to find a business close to you.
2. Explore government incentives and programs - There are currently some rebates available from the Victorian government to hep reduce the cost of purchasing and installing rainwater tanks. Check out City West Water’s website to see what’s available.
Also check out the Ecosaver program. This program combines installation of water and energy saving products with discounted 'eco' loans (and rebates) to tip the personal economics in favour of rainwater harvesting. More information can be found on the Savewater website.
3. Calculate the cost, benefit and Return on Investment - By measuring the water bill savings, rebates, and increased home value against the cost to purchase and install a rainwater harvesting system you can calculate the financial value of this investment.
For example, installing a 5,000 litre tank connected to the toilet and garden may cost $10,000 with a $1000 rebate and reduce your water bill by $500 per annum. In addition, a recent study by Energy Partners in Canberra found that a one-star improvement in a home's energy rating coincides with an average increase in advertised sale of price of around $15,000. Hence, the above investment will add at least $10,000 of value to your house should you sell. This equates to a 5.5% annual return plus your investment back.
Why is this action important?
Fresh Water is the life blood of nature. Without it, we would not have clean air, food, drink and many aesthetic and recreational benefits. Therefore, we need to ensure we use water in a sustainable way - we need to share it with all life on the planet and respect and value this "life blood". The consequences of doing otherwise can be seen in the spreading desserts across the world and the drought and famine that can soon follow.