Demand Management Strategy - Tweed Shire Council
Council’s two-pronged approach to water related issues requires a combination of both reduced water use and increased water supply. As part of this approach, a Demand Management Strategy (DMS) has been completed to determine the best way for Council to reduce water use throughout the Shire. While water use reduction works have been carried out by Council for many years, this strategy describes additional actions Council will undertake to further reduce future water usage. The Demand Management Strategy was prepared in two (2) stages.
Stage 1 was adopted by Council in February 2009. It deals with residential development in both existing and new development areas. It recommends a range of measures, including mandating the use of 5kL rainwater tanks with internal house connections, permanent water restrictions, investigating recycled water for future industrial land at West Kingscliff, a review of the water tariff structure, an extensive active leakage control and pressure management program, rainwater tank education programs, and on-going communication programs.
Stage 2 of the strategy was adopted by Council in October 2010. It deals with non-residential water use and recommends that Council undertakes an auditing program targeting the top 100 major commercial water users, conducts leakage assessments, audits major water using parks and gardens, and implements a non-residential education program.
A summary document combines the two stages.
Community Consultation
The Demand Management Strategy was adopted by Council after extensive community consultation. The entire Strategy was on public exhibition over an extended 12 week exhibition period from Thursday 28 January to Friday 30 April 2010.
The community consultation period was run in parallel with the six month Water Supply Augmentation project and ended on 30 April 2010. During this time the community and stakeholders were invited and engaged through a range of avenues including:
- Setting up a freecall 1800 number for community members to have their questions answered and to take the effort out of writing a submission (people were able to record up to a 30-second submission)
- Producing factsheets and reports to inform the community (see available downloads panel at the top-right of this page). All factsheets and reports are available online or at Council offices and libraries
- An Interested Parties Register has been set up where people and organisations are kept informed of developments either by email or regular post. To date over 100 people are registered and 11 circulars were sent during the community consultation period
- Council is keeping the community informed through regular media releases, articles and advertisements in local newspapers, radio and television. To date over 30 articles, media releases and interviews have been provided by Council, with many more articles and letters to the editor being provided by the media and community
- A designated email address WaterTSC@tweed.nsw.gov.au has been set up to enable the community to contact Council’s Water Unit directly
- Public stalls and information sessions have been held at Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah and Pottsville, and Council has attended community meetings at Uki
- Council has made presentations to community groups including Murwillumbah Rotary, the Tweed River Catchment Catch-up, the Aboriginal Advisory Committee, an open meeting of the Aboriginal community, the Tweed River Committee, and government agencies
- The date for submissions was extended following a request by the CWG to allow additional time for the community to make submissions.
Next Steps
In December 2010, Tweed Shire Council employed a Demand Management Program Leader whose main responsibility will be to implement the recommendations of the Demand Management Strategy. An implementation plan for the Demand Management Strategy will be developed early in 2011.
If you would like to be kept informed of developments, please register your interest so that updates can be distributed to you.
|