Win a Salt Slayer for Christmas!

Gold Coast Water and Smart Approved WaterMark are
offering Water Biz readers the chance to win a Salt Slayer
for Christmas!

Awarded Product of the Year 2009 by Smart Approved WaterMark, Salt Slayer is a portable pressure washer designed to wash the salt water off the following valuable leisure equipment:

• boats
• kayaks
• scuba equipment
• fishing gear and much more!

For your chance to win a Salt Slayer, simply forward this edition of Water Biz to a colleague or friend. You will gain one entry into the draw for every colleague or friend that is sent this email. This means the more times you forward, the more chances you have of winning!

Entries close 31 December 2009.

What is the Smart Approved WaterMark?
Smart Approved WaterMark is Australia's labelling scheme for water efficient products and services. Smart Approved WaterMark is a national, voluntary, not-for-profit program established by the following reputable associations:

• Australian Water Association
• Irrigation Australia
• Nursery and Garden Industry, Australia, and
• Water Services Association of Australia

To learn more about Smart Approved WaterMark visit www.smartwatermark.org
To find out more about Salt Slayer visit www.saltslayer.com

To read the competition terms and conditions click here.

Note: This competition is open to Water Biz subscribers only. If you would like the opportunity to enter future competitions and be kept up to date with the latest water news, you will need to subscribe to Water Biz.

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Class A+ recycled water is here

The supply of Class A+ recycled water to the Pimpama Coomera Waterfuture Master Plan community commenced on 1 December 2009. Class A+ recycled water is Queensland’s highest quality recycled water not intended for drinking purposes. It can be used for a range of activities including:

• irrigating lawns
• gardens, fruit trees and vegetable crops
• construction works
• flushing toilets
• vehicle washing
• animal husbandry
• commercial uses, as approved by Gold Coast Water

Over the last four years, the Pimpama Coomera Waterfuture (PCWF) Master Plan has evolved from a planning document into a reality. Creating one of Queensland’s most water efficient communities. Over 3500 homes and business in the Pimpama Coomera area are connected to this exciting new water product, saving thousands of litres of drinking water each day.

Class A+ recycled water is competitively priced at $1.34 per kL (1,000 litres) compared with drinking water $2.24 per kL.

All homes and businesses built in the Pimpama Coomera region after late 2005 have two separate pipe networks supplying their water. This system is called dual reticulation and means they are connected to both the drinking water network and the Class A+ recycled water network. For easy identification, the Class A+ recycled water network is coloured purple including water mains, meters, pipes, taps and hoses.

Class A+ recycled water,

can be used for:	should not be used for:
Toilet flushing Gardens and lawns Filling ornamental ponds Car washing Fire fighting Construction and building purposes Dust suppression Cars, houses and other similar outdoor uses Irrigation of fruit and vegetables (should be rinsed in drinking water before consumption) External household cleaning	Drinking Cooking or other kitchen purposes Personal washing such as baths, showers, bidets and hand basins Domestic evaporative coolers Clothes washing Swimming pools and spas Recreation, such as water toys and playing under sprinklers A water source for pets and livestock Filling rainwater tanks and other storages

If your business is located within the Pimpama Coomera Master Plan area and is interested in connecting to Class A+ recycled water or if you would like more information, please contact Gold Coast Water on 1300 366 692 or email waterinfo@goldcoastwater.com.au.

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Save water and money this Christmas

Saving water in your business will reduce your water, energy and wastewater costs, leading to more money in your pocket, instead of down the drain!

Over the festive season there are many simple things you can do to save water and money, in both your business and home.

At work

• Check for leaks and repair them quickly – by fixing a leaking tap that drips once every second you could save 230 litres  per week!
• Apply a wetting agent and some mulch to garden areas – both will dramatically increase water retention which is crucial over the hot Christmas period.
• Download the Gold Coast Water consumption tracker and enter your water saving goals for 2010 – visit the Gold Coast Water website to download your copy.
• Order your complimentary water saving materials to encourage your staff and visitors to save water - see the last article in this newsletter for more information.

At home

• When rinsing vegetables for your Christmas feast, part-fill the sink instead of letting the water run.
• After your Christmas feast, ensure your dishwasher is fully loaded and use the ‘economy’ cycle if you have one.
• If you have a swimming pool, place a cover on it when it is not in use – this will significantly reduce water loss due to evaporation and wind.

To achieve long term savings continue applying these tips throughout the year.

For more information on the many ways you can save water click here.

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Community Recycle Phone Program raises $3,500 for charity

In the lead up to National Water Week, 18 – 24 October 2009, Gold Coast Water implemented the Community Recycle Phone Program.

Water Biz is pleased to report that this program has raised almost $3,500 for WaterAid Australia and the Animal Welfare League. Final figures are expected in the coming weeks and Gold Coast Water would like to thank you for your donations.

By participating in this program, together we have helped reduce the leakage of environmentally hazardous materials into the city’s waterways. We have also helped raise funds for WaterAid Australia and the Animal Welfare League. Each device donated raised $5.00 for WaterAid Australia and the Animal Welfare League.

Donated items are being recycled through the Australian Recycling Program (ARP). The ARP is an Australian mobile phone recycling program that helps clean up the environment. Gold Coast Water is appreciative of your participation in this program and suggests you donate any further unwanted devices to the Mobile Muster program.

To find out more about WaterAid click here.

To find out more about the Animal Welfare League click here.

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Permanent Water Conservation Measures

On 1 December 2009, the Queensland Water Commission introduced Permanent Water Conservation Measures (PWCM). These measures cover residential and non-residential customers throughout the South East Queensland (SEQ) region.

The introduction of PWCM will help ensure SEQ continues to enjoy an enviable lifestyle, but in a water efficient manner.

How do the new measures affect non-residential customers?

The measures introduced for non-residential customers do not vary significantly from the previous set of measures. The key highlights reported in the October edition of Water Biz still apply:

• Water users of more than 10 million litres a year must comply with their Water Efficiency Management Plan to achieve 25% water savings or best practice water use (205 Gold Coast businesses fall into this category).
• Water users of more than 1 million litres a year must have water efficient fittings and equipment. These include low-flow taps, trigger sprays, showerheads, urinals and cooling towers (1154 Gold Coast businesses fall into this category).
• Vehicle washers must only use water in accordance with Queensland Water Commission guidelines.
• Non-residential pool and spa operators must keep a weekly log of water used and install a rainwater tank, a sub-meter and a clear view screen in the backwash outlet line where required, together with a range of water efficient fittings.
  Note: operators of swimming pools and spas situated within the common area of a Community Title Scheme are also required to implement this measure.
• Operators of visitor accommodation must display water conservation information in bathrooms to encourage guests to save water.

The new measures which non-residential users need to be aware of include:

• Businesses can water their gardens with water efficient sprinklers*, irrigation systems* and hoses, but not between 10am - 4pm or on Mondays. Buckets and watering cans can be used at any time.
• All businesses intending to irrigate an area that exceeds 500m2 must develop an irrigation WEMP.

* The QWC’s Efficient Irrigation Guideline provides information on how to comply with this restriction.

To find out more about the new Permanent Water Conservation Measures and they how they affect you at work and at home visit the Queensland Water Commission's website or call the Queensland Water Commission on 1300 789 906.

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Funding for stormwater harvesting and reuse projects

As part of the Federal Government’s ‘Water for the Future’ framework, the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts (DEWHA) is offering funding to private companies wanting to implement large stormwater harvesting and reuse projects.

Projects must contribute to:

• Improving the security of water supplies in Australia, without adding to greenhouse gas emissions
• Reducing the demand on potable water supplies
• Helping reduce the impact of urban runoff on water quality in receiving waters

Funding

Project funding is available for 50 per cent of eligible capital costs. The minimum project size is $4 million (eligible for funding of $2 million). While there is no maximum project size, funding is capped at $20 million (GST exclusive) per project. Funding is available for project work to be completed by 30 June 2013.

Projects that are not eligible under this special call include:

• Stormwater management that does not include a significant reuse component (e.g. projects primarily for flood mitigation or water quality purposes)
• Rainwater reuse from residential buildings using domestic rainwater tanks
• Combined effluent and stormwater reuse schemes
• Harvesting stormwater from predominantly non-urban catchments (e.g. rural or forested)
• Irrigation schemes using aquifers, streams or river water from largely non-urban catchments; and
• Projects that are being implemented to meet local, state, territory or Australian Government requirements. For example, stormwater infrastructure required to meet development conditions such as local government development controls or BASIX (in New South Wales).

The closing date for the second round of funding will close 5pm EDT 10 February 2010.

For further information visit the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and Arts website or call 1800 218 478.

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Complimentary Business Watersaver materials

There are many things you can do to save water in your business. One simple way is to let staff and visitors know what they can do to be water efficient.

If you operate a business or community organisation, Gold Coast Water can send you complimentary stickers for your bathrooms and kitchens. Posters are also available that explain the purpose of the stickers to your staff and visitors.

If you operate a hotel, motel or other accommodation service, the Queensland Water Commission requires you display water conservation messages in all bathrooms.

Gold Coast Water has developed a sticker to assist accommodation providers in meeting this requirement. The sticker communicates the five key things your guests can do to save water and you money, during their stay.

To view the suite of complimentary Business Watersaver materials including stickers, posters and fact sheets click here.

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Contact us

Your feedback is important and will ensure we continue to communicate information to you in the best way possible. Please email us at watersaver@goldcoastwater.com.au with any queries or comments.

Website: www.goldcoastwater.com.au/watersaver

Phone: Gold Coast Water Customer Contact Centre 1300 366 692

Post: Gold Coast City Council, PO Box 5042, Gold Coast MC Qld 9729

Information provided in this eNewsletter is provided as a free service to the Gold Coast business community.

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• © 2009 Gold Coast City Council
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