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.

Developing Your WaterMAP

In order to meet all mandatory requirements of the program, your business must:

• register your site for the waterMAP program within a month of being notified by City West Water of the requirement to participate in the program
• complete the waterMAP and lodge with City West Water within three months of registration. The Water Conservation Solutions Handbook outlines how to complete the waterMAP
• implement the actions in your waterMAP in accordance with the timelines set out in your waterMAP. Please note that it is not mandatory to implement a waterMAP but it is mandatory to develop, submit and review a waterMAP
• annually report to us on the implementation of the waterMAP and detail associated water savings
• annual review and improve your waterMAP with City West Water to ensure it is completed correctly. 

• 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.