6 January 2009
Along with sun soaked days and barbeques in the back garden, water shortages and restrictions have become part of the arrival of summer in the Waikato. After last summer’s drought, the Waikato community was faced with the fact that the region’s freshwater resources can’t be taken for granted.
In response, Environment Waikato, along with 10 surrounding councils in the Waikato, launched the new Smart Water Use campaign late last year to make people more aware of how they use water in their homes.
The campaign aims to raise awareness about the issues around water use, and encourage residents and ratepayers to be more water wise. There are a lot of simple things that people can do (and are often unaware of) at home that will make a big difference to their water consumption and help save them money.
“For example fixing that dripping hot-water tap will save you $50-$60 a year. Or reducing your daily shower from eight to four minutes will shave at least $80 a year off your household power bill for every person showering – that means a household of four could save more than $300 a year”, Environment Waikato chairman Peter Buckley said.
With information being distributed on the internet and through council publications, the campaign hopes to encourage Waikato residents to think more carefully about their water use. Then not only will people be thinking about, ‘slip, slop, slap’, but also fixing that leaking tap!
For more information, visit the Smart Water Use website.
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