North-West residents encouraged to take up waterwise offers

Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel with Water Corporation North West Regional Manager Sharon Broad, with one of the waterwise showerheads available to North West residents

• Free irrigation and plumbing services available to select North-West communities as part of 2022-23 Waterwise Towns Program
• Program supports regional households to check for leaks and save money on bills
• 22 million litres of water saved by North-West residents in 2021-22

Residents in Fitzroy Crossing, Halls Creek, Karratha, Onslow, Point Samson, Port Hedland, Roebourne, South Hedland, Wedgefield and Wickham can again take advantage of free waterwise offers as part of Water Corporation's 2022-23 Waterwise Towns Program.

The program makes it easier for regional Western Australians to use water efficiently and save money on bills by upgrading inefficient plumbing or making waterwise changes in the home and garden.

Among the available offers is a free showerhead swap program which can save up to 20,000 litres of water per household by upgrading to a water-efficient showerhead. In 2021-22, 113 North-West households switched their old showerheads, helping save around 2.4 million litres of water.

Residents in participating towns can also apply for a free plumbing service which includes a leak check and minor repairs, as well as upgrades to water-efficient fittings if required.

To help save water in the garden, residents in Karratha, Onslow, Point Samson, Port Hedland, Roebourne, South Hedland, Wedgefield and Wickham can also apply for a free irrigation service.

The irrigation service includes a sprinkler check and assistance to ensure irrigation systems are working efficiently. In 2021-22, North-West residents saved 13 million litres of water thanks to this service.

In addition, many residents in Karratha, Point Samson, Port Hedland, Roebourne, South Hedland, Wedgefield and Wickham will receive comparative water use letters to show how their water use compares to others in the town, with tips and advice to help them use water efficiently.  

Since 2013-14, the State-wide Waterwise Towns Program has saved an estimated 1.7 billion litres of precious water - equivalent to 756 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Plumbing and irrigation services are limited, with registrations open until 1 May 2023.  Showerhead Swap is available until 31 May 2023 or until allocations are exhausted. For more information or to apply, visit http://www.watercorporation.com.au/waterwiseoffers. 

Comments attributed to Water Minister Dave Kelly:

"A leaking tap or solenoid in a sprinkler system has the potential to waste thousands of litres of water each year.

"Saving water is up to all of us, particularly as our climate changes.

"By supporting North-West residents to check for leaks and upgrade inefficient plumbing and irrigation, we're helping residents save money and precious water."

Comments attributed to Pilbara MLA Kevin Michel:

"In 2021-22, North-West households saved 22 million litres of water by taking advantage of waterwise offers.

"I'd like to encourage residents to apply for this year's offers to continue supporting efforts towards a more waterwise community."

Comments attributed to Kimberley MLA Divina D'Anna:

"This is a much-welcomed project which will save public housing tenants in Halls Creek money, and the benefit of saving our precious water resources cannot be overstated.

"This joint collaboration is a great initiative and I am happy knowing that the water audits to identify plumbing leaks and inefficient fixtures will be done prior to the retrofitting. I am pleased to see the McGowan Government continuing to provide essential upgrades in the North-West."

Minister's office - 6552 6100