Waterwise Rebate Program expanded and extended

12/1/04
The Government's highly successful Waterwise Rebate Program, which has already delivered two gigalitres of ongoing water savings and returned $6million to those who have bought water efficient products, is to be expanded and extended for a further year.

Premier Geoff Gallop said the extension of the program would see a further $7.8million returned to the community through rebates and would deliver an additional 2.4 gigalitres in annual water savings.

The Premier said the rebate program would remain in force for a further year from February 11, because it had already helped make significant headway in the Government's quest to ensuring Western Australia became the most water efficient State in the nation.

"There is also no doubt that this program has had a major impact on the manufacture and marketing of water efficient washing machines, not only in our State but across Australia," Dr Gallop said.
"When the program was launched last year there were 17 washing machines rated at 4A or better under the National Water Conservation Rating and Labelling Scheme - now there are 98. There were no top-loading machines rated at 4A under the labelling scheme but now there are eight.

"Based on the program's obvious success we have decided to extend if for a further year with an expanded range of waterwise products, boosting permanent water savings to almost 4.5 gigalitres a year.

"This represents a permanent saving of about 45 gigalitres of water over 10 years, about the current storage of Mundaring Weir."

Speaking at Mundaring Weir, Dr Gallop said that from February 11 a range of soil wetting agents, flow regulators and a variety of tap timers would be added to the initial range of rebate products.

The Premier unveiled the multi-million-dollar strategy to encourage the adoption of water efficient products when he launched the State Water Strategy on February 10, 2003. Products initially attracting a rebate were water efficient washing machines and showerheads, garden bores and rainwater tanks.
Greywater systems, attracting a rebate of $250, were added later to the range. In recognition of the capital cost of installing these systems, the rebate has been increased to $500 in the expanded program.

Dr Gallop said that with a month of the initial program still to run, more than 26,000 households had received a rebate for water efficient washing machines.
Approximately 9,000 applications had been processed for showerheads, more than 4,200 households had been eligible for a garden bore rebate and 2,700 homeowners had received assistance with the purchase and installation of a rainwater tank.

"Almost 42,000 applications have been approved for rebates," Dr Gallop said.
"This demonstrates that the Government has played its part in supporting householders who have taken the opportunity to look for further ways of conserving water in and around the home."

Premier's office: 9222 9475