Water consumption down, ‘water is precious’ message working

The district’s “water is precious – he taonga te wai” message is getting through, with new consumption figures showing a significant reduction in the amount of water used over the summer months, Mayor Jenny Rowan said today.
 
Consumption figures show the district’s peak use of water over the summer period dropped from 654 lpd (litres per person per day) in 2008/09 to 556 lpd in 2009/10, representing a reduction of 17.6%.  That was despite fewer “wet” days (days with more than 0.5mm rain recorded) which dropped from 52 days in 2008/09 to 46 days in 2009/10.

“This is a great result for the Kāpiti Coast,” Mayor Rowan said.  “There are a number of variables in water consumption figures but it seems the importance of conserving water is now being understood by a very large section of the community.”

The release of the consumption figures coincides with the end of the summer water restrictions for the district.  As part of its long-term water supply strategy, Council wants to reduce peak consumption to 400 lpd over the next five years.  It is currently developing a comprehensive water conservation plan as part of the Annual Plan that covers education, financial incentives, technical innovation, and better monitoring of water flows and data collection.

The plan will strengthen already existing activities, such as the Summer Programme which outlines water restrictions for the district, as well as the free Green Plumber, the Green Gardener and the Eco Design Advisor services.

These initiatives, together with the groundbreaking Plan Change 75 which places rainwater and greywater collection requirements on new dwellings, show how serious Council is about ensuring a safe and reliable water supply for the district, Mayor Rowan said.

“We’ve made significant progress towards a final decision on a new water supply solution, which is due in June.  We’re cracking down on illegal taking of drinking water from the Council network.  We’ve launched industry-backed water education initiatives. 

“It’s wonderful to see these initiatives supported by a community which cares about its water supply and water conservation,” Mayor Rowan said.