A local council has won top honours in the Savewater! Awards for the water saving measures it has introduced and implemented in its municipality.
Hume City Council won the overall Award for Excellence, in recognition of its municipal-wide initiatives in water conservation.
Coles Group took out the Built Environment Award for water wise developments to its extension of Target head office in Geelong. The building's 1,600-square metre roof captures stormwater that is stored in tanks set beneath the building then used to flush toilets.
The system was recognised because it is easily replicated and demonstrated long-term thinking and strategic planning by a large organisation to save water in a simple way.
Other award winners for 2006/07 included a tennis club which has waterless courts, the owner of a sustainable home in Mitcham, Victoria and a landscape business which demonstrated that water efficiency goes hand in hand with a well-designed garden and buildings.
The landscape entry, from Greenmark Landscapes, integrated the built environment with an artificial billabong, showing that a home, office and gardens can all be serviced without the use of potable mains water.
The awards are an initiative of the savewater! Alliance Inc., an alliance of metropolitan and regional water businesses from Victoria and New South Wales.
Chief Judge Rob Gell commented that the judging panel was "impressed by the level of ingenuity applied to using water more efficiently in building and design."
"We are genuinely excited that this level of thinking and action is taking place to help combat the country's water issues," Gell said.
