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'STUFF'!
ENERGY
WATER
WASTE (coming soon)
DESIGN & RETROFITTING
LAND-SHAPING & FOOD GARDENS
Water
Sunshine Coast Water
Following the transfer of the Coast's water assets to state-owned SEQ Water a while ago, a business unit of the Sunshine Coast Council, Sunshine Coast Water, is now responsible for buying, providing and maintaining our reticulated (town supplies) of potable water and waste removal. This will change again in July 2010 when Unitywater becomes the new supplier of water for the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions. Now that we are part of a big centralised SEQ water 'grid', and with the planned increase to SEQ's population, (and Government's fondness for centralised energy-intensive infrastructure) larger price rises aren't difficult to imagine. There's also speculation about whether the government plans to charge residents for storing water in tanks in the future. One thing is certain - uncertainty. So in the face of uncertainty, I think the best thing any of us can do is make sure we have a buffer against change, by being semi or fully self-reliant for our necessities - energy, food and of course, water.
Step 1: Understand Your Usage
The Sunshine Coast is under permanent water conservation measures which allow residents 200 litres of water per person/per day. Click the tap image (below-right) to see what actions this requires around the home and garden. We seem to be better at saving water than energy, and household averages have almost always been under these targets since they began.
Council's fact sheet on how to read your water meter
From January, our water charges on the Coast increased to $1.35 per kilolitre (1,000 lts) for the first 600 lt/day, then an excess rate of $1.80 per (KL/1,000 lts) for anything over that. Still ridiculously undervalued when you consider we pay about $6-8 for one litre of bottled water and $1.20-something for one litre of fuel!
'STUFF'!
ENERGY
WATER
WASTE (coming soon)
DESIGN & RETROFITTING
LAND-SHAPING & FOOD GARDENS
Water
Sunshine Coast Water
Following the transfer of the Coast's water assets to state-owned SEQ Water a while ago, a business unit of the Sunshine Coast Council, Sunshine Coast Water, is now responsible for buying, providing and maintaining our reticulated (town supplies) of potable water and waste removal. This will change again in July 2010 when Unitywater becomes the new supplier of water for the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay regions. Now that we are part of a big centralised SEQ water 'grid', and with the planned increase to SEQ's population, (and Government's fondness for centralised energy-intensive infrastructure) larger price rises aren't difficult to imagine. There's also speculation about whether the government plans to charge residents for storing water in tanks in the future. One thing is certain - uncertainty. So in the face of uncertainty, I think the best thing any of us can do is make sure we have a buffer against change, by being semi or fully self-reliant for our necessities - energy, food and of course, water.
Step 1: Understand Your Usage
The Sunshine Coast is under permanent water conservation measures which allow residents 200 litres of water per person/per day. Click the tap image (below-right) to see what actions this requires around the home and garden. We seem to be better at saving water than energy, and household averages have almost always been under these targets since they began.
Council's fact sheet on how to read your water meter
From January, our water charges on the Coast increased to $1.35 per kilolitre (1,000 lts) for the first 600 lt/day, then an excess rate of $1.80 per (KL/1,000 lts) for anything over that. Still ridiculously undervalued when you consider we pay about $6-8 for one litre of bottled water and $1.20-something for one litre of fuel!
Take a tour of QWC's Water Efficient House (click image)
Step 2: Reduce Your Use
Some useful links:
WELS water efficient product database
Your Home Water Savings Calculator
QWC Efficient Irrigation Factsheets
And instead of getting one of those plastic shower timers to make sure you stick to 4 minute or less showers, put the radio in the bathroom - most songs only last about that long, and you have the added benefit of music while you soap up! (A plastic gadget made in China is hardly going to be a water efficient 'thing' to make, and it's all part of the same global picture).
Step 3: Rainwater Tanks
On the Coast we receive about 1200mm of rainfall per year - unfortunately it doesn't happen in nice even quantities over 12 months! Download my Calculator below to work out how much of your average rainfall is available for catchment from your roof, and how that compares to what you use. Print sheets to take with you when discussing options with a tank supplier or plumber, and remember it's just a starting point to organise and record your thoughts, rather than a million scraps of paper! And remember to look at the span of months where rainfall doesn't cover your needs - you will need adequate storage for this period of time.
Also have a read of the Your Home chapter on tanks for an overview of types and system layout.
| Water Use and Tank Calculator.xls |
IN THIS SECTION
Sunshine Coast Water
Step 1
Understand Your Usage
Step 2
Reduce Your Use
Water efficient fittings
Waterwise gardening
Step 3
Rainwater Tanks
Rainfall, sizing,rebates,
plumbing & council requirements, material
choice & maintenance
Sunshine Coast Water
Step 1
Understand Your Usage
Step 2
Reduce Your Use
Water efficient fittings
Waterwise gardening
Step 3
Rainwater Tanks
Rainfall, sizing,rebates,
plumbing & council requirements, material
choice & maintenance
Our beautiful Noosa River
200 lt pp/p day = 36,400 lt (36.4 KL) per half-yearly
bill for each person who lives at that address.
ie: if you have a family of four and your water usage comes in at more than 150kL on your 6 -monthly bill, (or 75 kL on your quarterly bill) you are using
more than the targets.
| SSC_tank_guidelines.pdf |
| SSC_install_guidlines.pdf |