Target Your Water Use
Using our precious water wisely?
Target Your Water Use is a voluntary water efficiency program to assist and encourage regional Victorians to use their water wisely.
The program applies to residential and business urban water customers in regional Victoria.
Using water responsibly is everyone’s opportunity to help secure water supplies and create greener and more liveable communities for now and into the future.
We need to use our water more efficiently
Climate change poses a serious risk to our water future. We know that, over the long-term, there will be less rainfall, less run-off into our rivers and storages and more severe and prolonged droughts.
Population growth in our regional cities and towns is placing increasing pressure on our water storages. In the year to June 2015, regional Victoria’s population grew to 1.14 million, an increase of 7,800 people (that’s the equivalent to a new town around the same size of Maryborough in central Victoria).
A diverse range of water sources and efficiency measures are needed to help ensure there will be enough water to meet all our needs now and into the future.
Target Your Water Use is about taking a longer-term view about our water usage habits by ensuring that all Victorians have access to the information they need to make informed decisions about the amount of water they use.
We all have a role in responsible water use and by using water wisely we can help secure water supplies and create greener and more liveable communities now and into the future.
Helping you to target your water use
Target Your Water Use provides useful information to regional Victorians on how to be more water efficient within their homes and how to use water more wisely.
Working in collaboration, regional urban water corporations are providing a suite of products, services and solutions on how to use water more wisely.
These include:
Urban Water Strategy
All Victorian water businesses are engaging with their customers and local communities to develop their Urban Water Strategies. These strategies will outline how water businesses will manage demand for, and ensure sufficient supplies of, drinking water across their service regions.
Permanent Water Saving Rules
Common sense rules to assist with conserving water now and for the future (See your local water corporation website).
The Water Conservancy (formally Smart Approved WaterMark)
Westernport Water is a proud supporter of The Water Conservancy, working together to provide our customers with a wide range of tips and resources to help them save water in their homes, gardens and work places.
Formally called Smart Approved WaterMark, in 2021, they rebranded as The Water Conservancy.
As an independent not for profit, The Water Conservancy is committed to enabling Australians to reduce water wastage. Their vision is for all Australians to be conscious of their relationship with water – valuing, understanding and using water efficiently in order to conserve more and waste less. They lead the way as an independent knowledge resource and advisory hub for the education, facilitation, and adoption of a more conscious and efficient approach to water use in Australia, gathering experts and insights to influence the collaborative development of innovative programs, resources and research to deliver expertise and facilitation across the nation. Learn more about The Water Conservancy here
Home – Explore ways of reducing water wastage in your kitchen, bathroom and laundry. Discover the most water efficient method of washing your car and caring for your swimming pool.
Garden – Find out when and how to water efficiently in your garden. Discover how to install a rainwater tank and use greywater safely. Design a new low water garden. Browse Smart WaterMark approved garden products.
Business – Discover how to save water across different parts of the business sector including nurseries, food processing, manufacturing, commercial laundries, the building industry, hospitality, textiles, horticulture and viticulture.
Education program
Across Victoria, local water corporations are engaging with primary, secondary and tertiary students to educate them on the water cycle and how to use water wisely.
Schools Water Efficiency Program (SWEP)
The program enables schools to track their water usage using data loggers. By monitoring water use, schools can detect and fix leaks, saving water and money.
Comparative water usage
Water customers can see how much water they have used compared to previous months and years simply by looking at their bill. Armed with this information they can make more informed choices about when and how to use water more efficiently.
What’s happening elsewhere in Victoria?
Melbourne Metro: Target 155
Regional Victoria: Target Your Water Use