WaterMAP

The Victorian Government’s Water Management Action Plan (waterMAP) seeks to improve the water efficiency of major water using commercial, industrial and institutional customers.

Since 2007, organisations that use at least 10 million litres of drinking water from an urban water supply each year have been required by the Victorian Government to develop and report on possible water saving actions identified in a waterMAP (Water Management Action Plan). Collectively, such organisations have saved over 17 billion litres of water since the program began, and have played a pivotal role in helping to secure Victoria’s precious water supplies.

The success of the program has resulted in these organisations now being able to participate on a voluntary basis.

With an ongoing commitment to water efficiency, the Victorian Government has now opened the voluntary waterMAP program to businesses using 5 million litres or more per year. 

City West Water works closely with its commercial, industrial and institutional customers to develop and implement their waterMAPs.

 

Advantages of participating in the waterMAP program

By participating in the program, your business can take advantage of City West Water’s expertise in helping to develop and implement water efficient processes and procedures, which can help to minimise water bills and offset future rises in the cost of water. In many instances, initiatives to reduce water consumption can also result in a reduction in energy use.

City West Water will provide your organisation with support to improve your water efficiency through various programs.  

 

How to participate in the waterMAP program

Step 1. Register your interest in preparing a waterMAP. This will help City West Water to engage with your business to help you prepare a waterMAP.  

Step 2. Make note of all areas where water is used on your site, determine whether further metering is required and identify opportunities for improving water efficiency and how this can be achieved. External assistance can be sought using City West Water's list of service providers or by using your own service provider.

Step 3. Complete your waterMAP, which details and prioritises actions to improve onsite water efficiency, and submit it to City West Water.

Step 4. Implement actions detailed in your waterMAP. City West Water may assist with co-funding for efficient water saving opportunities. Please contact City West Water for further details.

Step 5. Regularly monitor and review water savings generated from your waterMAP in consultation with your City West Water consultant. We recommend that waterMAPs are reviewed at least annually.

• What are the other sources of assistance and advice?

   

  Vic Water	http://www.vicwater.org.au/
  Department of Sustainability and Environment	http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/
  Victorian Government Water Website	http://www.water.vic.gov.au/
  Australian Industry Group	http://www.aigroup.asn.au/
  Plastics and Chemical Industries Association	http://www.pacia.org.au/
  Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry	http://www.vecci.org.au/
  Grow Me The Money	http://www.growmethemoney.com.au/
  Property Council	http://www.propertyoz.com.au/
  Textile Rental and Laundry Association of Australia	http://www.trlaa.com.au/
  Green Plumber Association	http://www.greenplumbers.com.au/
  Sustainable Gardening Australia	http://www.sgaonline.org.au/
  Alternative Technology Association	http://www.ata.org.au/
  Environment Protection Authority	http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/
  Fire Protection Association Australia	http://www.fpaa.com.au/
  Plumbing Industry Commission	http://www.pic.vic.gov.au/
  Australian Institute of Refrigeration, Air Conditioning and Heating	http://www.airah.org.au/
  Facilities Management Association of Australia	http://www.fma.com.au/
  Water Efficiency Labelling Standards	http://www.waterrating.gov.au/

• Am I still required to submit the waterMAP even though my site’s consumption has fallen below 10 million litres of drinking water per year?

  No. However, customers that were required to participate in the waterMAP program in 2010/2011 are still obliged to report on the actions they implemented as part of the program for the period ending 30 June 2011.

  Although is it not mandatory to complete a waterMAP, City West Water encourages customers to participate on a voluntary basis.

• Are the waterMAPs publicly available?

  No. The information will be treated as commercial in confidence, encouraging customers to be open in the information they provide.

• Is the customer expected to save a certain amount of water?

  It is recommended that businesses seek to achieve at least a 10 per cent reduction in water use. While this is not a mandatory requirement, current non-residential water saving programs have identified this as a benchmark and aspirational target. In some instances, a 10 per cent reduction may not be achievable due to existing water saving programs.

• What will it cost a business to develop a waterMAP?

  The program is developed to provide flexibility to cater for City West Water’s diverse range of customers. The resources provided by City West Water should generally mean that customers are able to complete a waterMAP without outside help. City West Water also provides expert staff to help customers complete waterMAPs at no charge.

  The waterMAP handbook allows a customer to either undertake a step by step self assessment, or in the case of larger, more complex businesses, to enlist the services of an external service provider (who may charge a fee).

• Once I have submitted my waterMAP to City West Water are there any further requirements?

  WaterMAP customers are recommended to review their waterMAP with City West Water at least every 12 months.

• What support tools are available to assist?

  Each City West Water that registers to complete a waterMAP is assigned a City West Water staff member to assist them in completing their waterMAP. This assistance may inlcude expert advice and arranging for the provision of resources from City West Water including:

  • co-funding for water saving capital projects
  • checkmeters to monitor water consumption in specific areas of the site
  • showerhead exchanges
  • access to and participation in research and development projects
  • education and training resources, including workshops and seminars
  • promotion of the project through published case studies
  • signage to promote water conservation around the site.

• What is involved in doing a waterMAP?

  A waterMAP is a streamlined process whereby non-residential customers:

  • assess current water use
  • identify inefficiencies and potential water savings
  • prepare and submit a high level action plan to implement water conservation actions
  • annually review and report on implementation of water efficiency actions.

• Who should complete a waterMAP?

  The voluntary waterMAP program is open to businesses using 5 million litres or more of drinking water per year.

• Are waterMAPs mandatory?

  No. From 2007 to 30 June 2011, organisations that used at least 10 million litres of drinking water from an urban water supply each year have been required by the Victorian Government to develop and report on possible water saving actions identified in a waterMAP. The success of the program resulted in these organisations now being able to participate on a voluntary basis.

• What is the waterMAP program?

  WaterMAP is an acronym for Water Management Action Plan. A waterMAP is an action plan to use water more efficiently by identifying specific water saving actions that can be implemented at a specific site. City West Water's Business Resource Efficiency Program assists our customers to develop waterMAPs and improve their overall resource efficiency.