Ballina Shire wins Water Conservation Gong

In November LGNSW held their annual Environment Awards at Doltone House, Pyrmont. The highly coveted awards are now in their 19th year and recognise exceptional environmental achievements. The Water Directorate is pleased to sponsor and present again the Water Conservation category award for outstanding initiatives that have resulted in significant water savings.

Congratulations to Ballina Shire Council awarded by judges as Division B Winner and Overall Category winner for their Pressure and Leakage Management Plan. This Plan has allowed Council to better monitor and control the underground water network and reduce water loss. Initial trials saw the establishment of three Pressure Management Zones with flow monitoring equipment detecting a major leak in one zone. Repairs led to combined annual water savings of 134ML; an amount equivalent to 40 Olympic sized swimming pools. A business case analysis recommended construction of six new Pressure Management Zones and three new Demand Management Zones. Works were commissioned in Oct 15.

It is very gratifying to see this project win an award because it is evidence of the capacity building aspect of the 2006 to 2011 Water Loss Management Program undertaken in partnership by the Federal Government, LGNSW and the Water Directorate.