It's United Nations World Water Day March 22nd. This year's theme is 'Water for peace'
Water is considered and used as a precious resource by Hamilton, Waipā and Waitomo communities and our programme upholds the principles of Te Ture Whaimana (the vision and strategy of the Waikato River) and Te Mana o te Wai
In New Zealand, water is our most precious resource, yet it is often taken for granted and perceived to be unlimited.
Smart Water is a partnership between Hamilton City, Waipā District Council and Waitomo District Council and aims to foster a greater understanding and appreciation of water from source to tap and support schools, organisations and the community to value water and use it in an efficient way.
Smart Water coordinates several projects and campaigns across the sub-region that aim to:
ENVIRONMENT
The three councils take water from various sources throughout the district, including the Waikato River, streams, bores and springs. Even though it looks like there is a lot of water in our region, councils are limited to how much water they can take due to environmental reasons. Taking water changes the flow and temperature of the river and stream networks, disrupting plant and animal life. Less water also means any pollutants in the water become more concentrated.
CLIMATE CHANGE
The water we use has a lot of hidden energy costs. For example, supplying safe drinking water requires large amounts of energy for collection, treatment and distribution. Another significant source of carbon emissions is the energy used to heat hot water in homes and businesses. Using less water can therefore save money and reduce your carbon footprint.
SAVING MONEY
Saving water saves money whether you live in a metered area or not. In a metered area, you will see the savings on your bill; in non-metered areas, saving water can help prevent rates increases. The average household spends 30% of their energy bill heating hot water so whether you are metered or not, there are significant savings to be made by using less hot water. Try our ‘Shorter shower saves power’ interactive calculator to see how much money you might be sending down the drain!
COUNCIL INFRASTRUCTURE
Water infrastructure, including treatment plants and pipes, is expensive. Reducing the amount of water that we use reduces the pressure on our existing infrastructure and can prevent or delay increased investment in new infrastructure. Using less water also reduces the amount of waste water that needs treating.
Find out more about water services in your council area: Hamilton, Waipa District and Waitomo