We are using too much of this precious, life giving resource. That was certainly the message at the Living Smart meeting this morning.According to the information we were given Perth's average usage has increased 55% since 1981 and it is estimated it will require an extra 150 Billion litres by 2031. Scary statistics to say the least.
Apparently over 55% of our water goes on our gardens. This was not really a surprise to me as we are currently baking in temperatures hovering in the high 30s and have seen over 40C once or twice this week. So in order to stop our lovely city looking like a desert, water is poured onto our highly porous, sandy soils.
Perth is surprisingly green and though visitors may think it pretty, the cost in water is extremely high.
The State Government recently invested in the first desalination plant in Australia, though other States have since followed.Yes water, or should I say the sustainable use of it, should be high on our list of priorities.
On the positive Tim and Sharni are full of ideas where we can make a difference. We spent the morning at The Pinakurri Community where we were shown rainwater tanks and grey water
systems that have been installed and used to good effect.The beautiful gum tree on the left was said to be in dire straits before the grey water scheme was used to reticulate it and other fruit trees within the vicinity.
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