Water Initiatives and Awards
Showerhead Exchange
In conjunction with Yarra Valley Water, Council is undertaking a showerhead exchange program.
Over 80 showerheads have already been replaced, a number of them at pavilions at Batesford, Central, Mulgrave, Southern, Brandon Park, Brentwood, Warrawee Park, W.A. Scammell, Clayton and Princes Highway Reserves.
Eastern Football League Sustainable Ground Program
The program will provide long-term water savings, reduced maintenance requirements and reduced costs. The program will reduce water use and adheres to the constraints of stage 3A water restrictions.
Rain Gardens
Rain Gardens are gardens and/or garden beds that are designed to collect and 'clean' rainwater from impervious urban catchments including rooves, car parks, and pavements before discharging into the streams and the surrounding environment.
Rain Gardens use bio-filtration - plants and soil - to filter out pollutants such as Nitrogen, Phosphorus, oils and heavy metals from rainwater and storm water, improving water quality entering our local creek and the Bay and reducing the volumes of storm water runoff reducing erosion in our waterways.
While many species of semi-aquatic plants can be used for Rain Gardens, Native plants such as rushes, sedges, shrubs and small trees, are particularly well suited for rain gardens as they are adapted to local climatic conditions and can provide habitat for native animals.
Source: www.abc.net. Schematic of rain garden filtration system.
Monash City Council has endeavoured to improve water quality, habitat, and aesthetics of our built environment by establishing a number of Rain Gardens around the municipality.
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Future Initiatives
Council is developing a centralised irrigation control systems, which once operational, will improve irrigation efficiency and dramatically reduce the use of potable water by controlling 100% of Monash's irrigated sports and garden areas.
Furthermore, council plans to save water by developing storm water and grey water reuse/recycle schemes to supplement current and future irrigation systems.
Awards
The City of Monash was nominated as the Finalist in the 2007 savewater! awards®, for ongoing commitment to water.
Council were honoured in the 'government' category for installing two 45,000L rainwater tanks at the Works Administration Centre wash bay, now saving 982,000L of potable water a year - equivalent to almost 7,300 bathtubs*.
In addition, Council supported local sporting clubs by introducing a variety of warm season grass species across 11 sporting reserves to trial their water saving effectiveness. The results from four of those ovals for 2005/06 show combined water savings of 4,386 KL compared to 2005/05.
Council would also like to congratulate Syndal South Primary School for its effort in water conservation and nomination in the education category of the savewater! awards®.
* Based on average size bathtub of 135L.
Last updated: 22 December 2009
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