Media release
19 May 2010
Communities across Tasmania will benefit
from the roll out of water saving infrastructure
projects announced today.
The Federal Minister for Water, Senator
Penny Wong, and the Tasmanian Minister for
Primary Industries and Water, Bryan Green
MP, today announced
that a State-wide water metering project
will be rolled out by Tasmania’s regional
water and sewerage corporations.
The Federal Government
has allocated funding of up to $10 million
with the balance of the $24 million project
being met jointly by the regional corporations
and the State Government.
Water meters will be
installed at properties that are not currently
metered, and existing meters that do not
meet the required standard will be upgraded.
The project is expected
to deliver around 8,700 million litres of
potable water savings each year.
“We know that water
supplies in our cities and towns are under
increasing pressure from our growing population
and the emerging effects of climate change,”
Senator Wong said.
“By investing in projects
that secure water supplies for our cities
and towns, the Rudd Government is helping
communities prepare for a future with less
water and use water wisely.
“Installing these meters
will result in significant water efficiency
savings, and assist in securing Tasmania’s
potable water supplies.”
Tasmanian Primary Industries
and Water Minister, Bryan Green, welcomed
the Commonwealth funding and said it would
significantly enhance ongoing efforts by
the State to improve water use and management
in the State.
“Tasmania is fortunate
in the quantity and quality of our water,”
Mr Green said.
“But our State recognises
the value of this major resource and is
committed to work with all levels of Government,
industry, and the wider community to continue
to identify and implement ways we can improve
water use and management.”
Senator Wong also announced
that Kingborough Council in southern Tasmania,
will receive up to $1.05 million in Federal
Government funding to harvest stormwater
for reuse in local sporting facilities and
open community spaces.
The Kingborough Council’s
stormwater initiatives are expected to create
potable water savings of up to 26 million
litres each year.
Federal funding for
both projects have been provided under the
Water for the Future initiative, through
the National Water Security Plan for Cities
and Towns program.
For more information please visit the Department
of Environment, Water, Heritage and the
Arts website.
+ More
Frank Sartor, NSW Minister
for Climate Change and the Environment
17 May 2010 - Around
70 billion litres of environmental water
will be delivered to the Yanga wetlands
in New South Wales, Federal Minister for
Water, Senator Penny Wong and NSW Minister
for Climate Change and the Environment,
Frank Sartor, announced today.
This is the biggest
environmental flow to Yanga National Park
since 2000, with the watering expected to
benefit approximately 13,000 hectares of
Red Gum floodplain and wetlands.
"These environmental
flows include 40 billion litres of Commonwealth
environmental water acquired through the
Rudd Government’s long-term Water for the
Future program," Senator Wong said.
Today’s announcement
represents the single largest allocation
of water to the environment from the Commonwealth
environmental water holdings to date.
"This environmental
watering confirms that the Rudd Government’s
$3.1 billion water purchase program is restoring
the Basin’s rivers and wetlands to health,"
Senator Wong said.
"It brings the
total volume of water provided by the Rudd
Government for environment sites across
the Basin to more than 110 billion litres."
River Red Gum forests
and wetland systems that support threatened
species such as the southern bell frog,
Australasian bittern and fishing bat are
set to benefit from these flows.
The balance of the water
is being provided through environmental
water allocations held by NSW.
Mr Sartor said the current
watering is vital for wetland areas in Yanga
National Park which have suffered from lack
of water for at least 10 years.
"Since October
2009, more than 80 billion litres had been
allocated to the Lowbidgee floodplain through
joint waterings by the Commonwealth and
NSW governments," Mr Sartor said.
"This includes
early autumn flows of 8 billion litres which
drenched 3,000 hectares of the North Redbank
wetland system.
"Already in the
North Redbank wetland system, tadpoles from
four different species of frog, native fish
and waterbirds including black swans, grey
teal, little pied cormorants, wood ducks
and Australasian grebes have been sighted."
This decision to allocate
Commonwealth environmental water was made
by the Commonwealth Environmental Water
Holder after receiving independent scientific
advice.
The environmental flows
will not affect water allocations for local
irrigators or stock and domestic users.
