Rural City of Wangaratta

Australia is one of the driest places on Earth however despite this fact, we have in the past taken for granted the security of our future water supplies. It is now evident that the impacts of climate change will increasingly act to restrict the availability of water into the future for our region and its communities.

As conditions are predicted to become drier, less water will be available for use in the Rural City and it is imperative that immediate action is taken by Council and the community to improve the way we utilise our diminishing water supplies. Current projections show a 5% decrease in Victorian rainfall over the next 10 years and a 13% drop in average surface water availability in the Ovens region by 2030.

The Wangaratta Rural City Council is committed to addressing the current unsustainable use of regional water resources and is implementing the Sustainable Water Use Plan Program. 

Council's Sustainable Water Use Plan examines Council’s own water use in Council owned facilities and activities and includes a detailed action plan to reduce Council’s water consumption over the next five to ten years. A target of a 35% reduction has been set for Council’s corporate water use by 2015 from 2001 levels.

Actions which Council has taken so far towards the goals set out in the plan include:

• Installing rainwater tanks at the Council depot to reduce the use of drinking water in operations.
• Water tanks and education in local pre-schools.
• Planting a water-sensitive garden at the Government Centre and the Performing Art Centre.
• Conducting an education campaign of stickers to remind the community ‘not to waste a drop’
• Improving water security at the HP Barr Reserve and Showgrounds complex, by biodiversity of water supplies, now including used water, ground water and rainwater.

Download Council's Sustainable Water Use Plan Program. 

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