Support program targets business water use

The Support 155 Business Program is aimed at business customers that use less than 10 million L of water a year and encourages these businesses to assess their water use and develop actions to use water more efficiently around the workplace.

Business customers will be asked to demonstrate their commitment to saving water by registering for the program on their individual water utility’s website — either City West Water, South East Water or Yarra Valley Water — and they will then be provided with a resource kit that contains a range of materials to help them reduce their water usage.

Tony Kelly, Yarra Valley Water managing director and industry spokesperson for restrictions, said the program would help to ensure industry and households were continuing to work together to secure Melbourne’s water supplies.

"Over the past six years, Melbourne’s water utilities have been working with business customers who use more than 10 million litres of water a year to reduce their water usage, and the results have been phenomenal, with business water use reducing by a further 8 billion litres in the last financial year alone," Kelly said.

"The program will provide smaller businesses with the tools to also do their bit to save water, and help them develop long-term water conservation initiatives to ensure water is being saved well into the future."

According to Kelly, businesses that use less than 10 million litres of water a year will also be encouraged to develop a Water Management Plan (WaterMAP).

Developing and implementing a WaterMAP is mandatory for all businesses in Melbourne that currently use more than 10 million litres of water a year, and forms part of the state government’s ‘Our Water Our Future’ policy.

Developing a WaterMAP allows businesses to develop systems that significantly reduce long-term water use while maintaining the high quality and quantity of output.

Kelly said it was a common misconception that business and industry is responsible for the majority of Melbourne’s water consumption.

"Non-residential customers account for approximately 30% of Melbourne’s total water supply, compared to household use of around 60%," Kelly said.

"While Melbourne’s households have reduced water usage by 34% per person since the 1990s, industry is also pulling its weight, reducing water usage by 38%."