Whether it is farmers, householders or water providers, it is important we do everything we can to help conserve our most precious resource – water.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
All MIA residents recognise water as the lifeblood of the region and their continued existence. There are few more attuned to what is at risk than those who most depend on it.
Every day, there are many simple little things to do around the house to save water, money and help the environment.
- Install a rainwater tank. It can at least partially offset your mains water usage.
- One leaking tap can waste more than 2000 litres a month. To check your home for leaks, turn off every tap and appliance that uses water, then read your water meter. Wait a while (overnight if possible) and read again. If the meter has ticked over, something's leaking. Check your toilets and taps first.
- Insulate hot water pipes. This avoids wasting water while waiting for hot water to flow through and saves energy.
- High water pressure increases flow rates from showers, taps, leaks and drips. If you have extreme water pressure, a plumber can fit a pressure reduction valve.
- Take short showers. Soap up, wash down, rinse off.
- Install the latest three-star/AAA-rated showerheads for a great shower and save around 10 litres of water a minute.
- Rinse your razor in a plugged sink, not under a running tap.
- Don’t leave the tap running while brushing your teeth. Wet your toothbrush before you begin and turn off the tap. Only turn the tap on when water is required.
- Shave your legs using a container of warm water before you get into the shower. The shower is only needed to rinse off.
- Use a shower timer.
- Fit a flow regulator to reduce the water flow to nine litres per minute or less.
- Installing water efficient taps or tap aerators is a great, inexpensive way to cut water usage without even noticing.
- Keep a jug/bottle of water in the fridge for drinking to avoid running water down the sink until it's cool enough.
- Think before using the dishwasher. Washing dishes in the sink uses about 15L of water. Depending on the capacity and water efficiency rating of your dishwasher, it may be more efficient to wash your dishes in the sink.
- Use only as much water as you need in the kettle to cut your electricity costs at the same time.
- Put a lid on a pot when boiling.
- Repair a continuously leaking or trickling toilet.
- Install devices on older toilets to reduce the volume used with each flush. They work by causing the toilet to flush only for the duration that you hold the button down - so pressing the button for a shorter period will save water.
- Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. If you can manage it, follow the old adage “if it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down”.
This advertising feature is supported by the following businesses:
- Wilks Water
- PHL Surveyors
- RuralCo
- Waterfind
- Watertek Pty Ltd
- Bruno Altin & Co
Savings across the region
WHILE we can all make water saving as individuals, there is a bigger picture view required throughout the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
With water being moved across the MIA for agricultural and domestic purposes there is always scope to make huge improvements in efficiency that result in water savings.
In the current climate of sustaining environmental flows during a low-rainfall period while maintaining delivery entitlements, any improvements to water delivery that create savings are beneficial.
Many of the water savings across the MIA have come about through works and projects funded as part of the Private Irrigation Infrastructure Operators Program in NSW (PIIOP-NSW).
PIIOP-NSW aims to improve the efficiency and productivity of water use and management of private irrigation networks to deliver savings for the environment.
After successfully applying for project funding over three rounds of PIIOP-NSW, Murrumbidgee Irrigation has instigated projects aimed at returning about 55,000 megalitres to the environment while at the same time continuing to service its delivery requirements for customers.
In round one of PIIOP-NSW, funding of $50 million in projects transferred water entitlements to return 5700ML per year on average to the federal government to help bridge the gap in the Murrumbidgee catchment.
Works included replacing a deteriorating concrete-lined channel supply system and refurbishing open channels in the Lake Wyangan area, installation of electromagnetic flow meters and remote monitoring on metered farm outlets, and automation of remaining open channels.
Round two provided $175.1 million to return 37,521ML, with projects to be completed by December 2019.
These involve replacing of one-third of the Wah Wah scheme’s open channels with a pumped pipeline system, automation and refurbishment of irrigation channels and channel control structures, replacing concrete and earthen channel infrastructure with piped systems and on-farm infrastructure upgrades and works
Funding of $122.2 million in round three will return 13,663ML.
To be completed in 2019, works include channel re-lining, channel/canal automation, replacing inefficient channels with gravity pipelines and pumped stock and domestic systems, earth channel rehabilitation and conversion of Dethridge wheels to compliant meters.
While it is important for water delivery providers to generate savings, individual landholders should also do all they can on top of that to ensure their on-farm systems are functioning as effectively and efficiently as possible.