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NEWS RELEASE
October 2009
Saving water also means saving energy
Saving water goes beyond conserving our precious resource and lower water bills – it also
saves in the energy used to bring drinking quality water to homes across Australia and in
turn, reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
“Research has shown that embedded in the cost of water is the cost of energy used to collect,
treat and distribute that water,” says the CEO of Smart Approved WaterMark, Mr Julian Gray.
“National Water Week has brought to our attention again the need to conserve water -
reducing greenhouse gas emissions gives us another good reason to save water around the
home.
“The energy costs of getting drinking water to the home are often not considered, so as part
of our ‘Every Bucket Counts’ campaign we are launching a new measure to show the
greenhouse gas emission savings made when saving water around the home,” says Mr Gray.
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Black balloons used to represent 50 grams of greenhouse gas emission savings are being
used to represent the savings. They have become the symbol of energy saving programs in
Victoria and now in New South Wales.
“People are surprised to hear that to get around four buckets of drinking quality water to
Australian homes requires energy inputs that create enough greenhouse gases to fill one
black balloon,” says Mr. Gray.
The Every Bucket Counts calculators are online at www.smartwatermark.org and calculate
the water saving achieved by installing a rainwater tank, using a pool cover on a swimming
pool or using a waterless car wash. Now they will also show how many ‘black balloons’ or
grams of greenhouse gases are saved because of the energy saving with less water use.
The energy costs of collecting, treating and transporting water vary across states so postcode
inputs for the calculators will provide more appropriate figures for residents in each state and
territory.
Horticulturalist and presenter on Domestic Blitz, Joel Hurrey, endorses the water saving
calculator’s new greenhouse emission addition.
“I know how important water wise gardens are for water conservation, but when you look at
the calculators, it’s surprising how much energy is also used getting that water to your home
and garden. This calculator addition is invaluable in educating us just how much energy it
takes to get water to our homes and gardens.”
Julian Gray says for an average pool, a cover can save around 40,000 litres of water a year
or 4,400 buckets of water.
“Our calculator will show that on average, this translates to nearly 1,000 black balloons of
emissions saved if a pool cover is used*.”
On average people across Australia use around 23 buckets of drinking quality water each per
day**, some of which can be saved by simple lifestyle changes and by using water saving
products around the home.
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Saving over a quarter of a million buckets of water has been pledged so far by Australians
using the Every Bucket Counts calculators on the Smart WaterMark website.
“Every bucket counts when it comes to saving water and we want people to realise that
saving water also gives you the power to save energy as well,” added Mr Gray.
the Smart WaterMark, where to find them and any rebates offered, and other useful water
saving information.
Media information:
Smart Approved WaterMark CEO - Mr Julian Gray, (02) 92903322 or 0407406973
‘Reducing water use in your home and garden helps conserve energy too’ – Joel Hurrey,
Horticulturalist and presenter, Domestic Blitz
For these and any other Smart WaterMark images, visit the Smart WaterMark Image Library
Smart Approved WaterMark is Australia's water saving labelling program for products and services
which are helping to reduce outdoor water use. The Smart WaterMark is run by the Water Services
Association of Australia, Irrigation Australia, the Nursery and Garden Industry Australia and the
Australian Water Association with funding from the Australian Government's Water Smart Australia
programme through the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
*
We’ve assumed a bucket holds nine litres of water, a black balloon holds around 50gms of
greenhouse gas and the energy figure to generate that gas is averaged across Australian cities.
** Figures on domestic water use are taken from the Major Urban Water Utilities’ National
Performance Report 2006-07. The national average is 23 buckets per person per day.
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Released for Smart Approved WaterMark by GREEN PR, contact Neville Sloss, ph 0414562010
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