This World Water Week, Veolia is urging people right around the country to be waterwise and conscious of their usage, even as some communities continue to recover from devastating floods.
Dan Spiller, Veolia’s chief operating officer for water, said that the extraordinary rainfall experienced in parts of Australia this year can lead to complacency in our thinking.
“With major flooding events experienced on the eastern seaboard and on parts of the Nullarbor earlier in the year, it’s easy to think that the abundance of water in some places means a longer shower or keeping the sprinklers on for a few extra minutes is harmless,'' he said. “But there is never a wrong time to preserve and conserve.”
“The way many of us have become accustomed to using water means it disappears almost as quickly as it falls from the sky. And it’s not just about supply. We often forget that cleaning and distributing water requires a significant amount of energy.”
Dan said one of the biggest challenges is that our natural environment is more dependent on water than any other natural resource, something we have a tendency to take for granted.
“It’s easy to fall into the habit of thinking water is an infinite resource, something that will forever flow from our taps every time we go to turn them on,” he said. “While there might be some truth to that in parts of Australia and New Zealand at the moment, there is not an endless supply of drinking water.”
Dan encouraged the community to follow some easy and helpful tips to preserve and conserve:
- Install a low-flow showerhead and limit showers to a maximum of 3 minutes.
- When filling your bath or waiting for your shower to heat, use a bucket to capture the cold water and use it on your garden.
- Use a bowl or bucket of water to wash vegetables or rinse clothes, rather than a running tap.
First held in 1991, World Water Week is an annual conference that brings the international community together in a shared understanding that some of our greatest challenges often start with water. In 2022, World Water Week runs from 23 August to 1 September.
“This World Water Week, let’s celebrate water and all its goodness, but take a moment to remember the role we all can – and must – play in preserving and conserving it,” Dan concluded.
Further Reading
Waterwise Tips
It’s easy to fall into the habit of thinking water is an infinite resource, something that will forever flow from our taps every time we go to turn them on. View and download some tips on how to be waterwise around your home.
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