Water Resources Minister John Kobelke set a target for 30 per cent of all waste water to be reused or recycled by 2030 at the launch of his State Water Plan 2007 today.
Water Resources Minister John Kobelke set a target for 30 per cent of all waste water to be reused or recycled by 2030 at the launch of his State Water Plan 2007 today.
The full text of a ministerial announcement is pasted below
Water Resources Minister John Kobelke today set new water efficiency and re-use targets under the State Water Plan 2007.
"Planning for our secure water future has never been more necessary, as we face incontrovertible evidence of climate change and reduced rainfall in the southern half of the State," Mr Kobelke said.
"The State Water Plan 2007 is the culmination of several years' planning and consultation at all levels in the community, ensuring stakeholders and water users throughout the State help to secure our water future."
As far back as 2001, following extremely poor winter rains, the Western Australian Government began a process of review, reform and planning for the future.
"We understood then that reduced rainfall from climate change and a projected 40 per cent population increase by 2030 required a concerted effort by Government and the community to ensure a sustainable water future," the Minister said.
"Western Australia is acknowledged nationally and internationally for its innovative responses to climate change."
Mr Kobelke said there needed to be continued progress on recycling and consumption.
"The community has cut back its consumption and followed sprinkler restrictions, which has produced a saving of 264 billion litres since 2001," he said.
"We are investigating new source options, but we must also pay particular attention to recycling as an environmentally sound, cost effective option."
The Minister said WA already had a target to recycle 20 per cent of all wastewater by 2012. The State Water Plan 2007 set a further goal to recycle 30 per cent by 2030. Achieving these goals required the combined efforts of the whole community - households, commerce and industry, agriculture and mining.
"We urge Perth householders to further reduce their consumption to less than 100 kilolitres a person a year," Mr Kobelke said.
"This requires a combination of existing sprinkler rosters and further uptake of water use efficiencies, such as those supported by our Waterwise rebate and community education programs.
"The State Government is working closely with the agricultural and mining sectors. By 2030 we plan to have helped these sectors improve their water use efficiency by 20 per cent.
"In agriculture, we are implementing reforms to increase the level of metering and trading water to achieve this target.
"We applaud the mining industry's innovative strategies and its significant water resource investigation work so far and look forward to working with the industry to go the extra distance to achieve these essential targets."
The State Water Plan 2007 provides a whole-of-water cycle approach to the management of the State's limited and vital water resources. Recycling and reuse is central to its planning horizon.
The plan addresses areas where water resources are over-used and gives priority to restoring those resources through statutory water planning, providing legal security to water entitlements for the environment, as well as more metering and monitoring.
The planning process revolves around 'security through diversity', ensuring that users and locations are not dependent upon one particular water source.
"The State Water Plan 2007 takes our water future to yet another level of water security for our thriving community," the Minister said.
