Perth is set to become a leading waterwise city by 2030 with the McGowan Government today launching the Waterwise Perth Action Plan.
Climate change has made our winters drier and our summers hotter and, combined with urban and population growth, has dramatically affected Perth's water resources.
The Waterwise Perth Action Plan sets targets to respond to the major impacts of climate change on water resources and liveability to support the 3.5 million population anticipated to reside in Perth by 2050.
The plan takes the next steps on from saving water to improving how we manage water in our urban environments so we have healthy waterways and wetlands, attractive green spaces and water security beyond 2030.
The plan includes:
- Assistance for households to be more waterwise and reduce annual per person use to 110kL;
- Improved water management of sporting ovals and green spaces;
- All government-led urban development projects in Perth and Peel to be 100 per cent waterwise;
- METRONET precincts designed to consider all elements of the water cycle;
- Increased use of recycled water; and
- Increasing the urban tree canopy to reduce the urban heat island effect.
More than 200 stakeholders provided their knowledge and insight into the plan. The Waterwise Perth Action Plan is available at http://www.dwer.wa.gov.au/waterwise
As stated by Water Minister Dave Kelly:
"Climate change has dramatically affected Perth's urban water cycle.
"We used to get 420 billion litres of water running into these dams each year but, with a significant decline in rainfall since the mid-1970s from climate change, we can now expect just 25 billion litres.
"Declining rainfall has also reduced groundwater levels by 1.8 metres since 1998.
"The McGowan Government's plan brings the whole community on board to become a leading waterwise city by 2030, with State Government, local government, industry, community and households all playing a role.
"It adopts a 'water sensitive cities' approach to urban development that reduces consumption and captures, transports, cleans and stores water in the landscape for multiple social, economic and environmental health benefits.
"To ensure Perth can remain a beautiful, green and liveable city we must act now to be more waterwise. Let's get waterwise Perth."
