Age no barrier to saving billions of litres of water

Water Corporation chair Andrea Sutton with RAAFA Merriwa Estate manager Karen Huyton and Kylie Wheeler

• Established independent living and aged care village named Waterwise Business of the Year
• 269 businesses and 21 buildings State-wide participate in water efficiency programs
• Waterwise Building and Business Program supports biggest water users to make waterwise choices

Waterwise Business of the Year, RAAFA’s Merriwa Estate, is a 240-unit retirement village and 110-bed aged care facility in Perth’s northern suburbs that has implemented a program of retrofitting its facilities with top-rated waterwise fixtures to make major water-use savings.

In 2022-23, seven businesses attained gold status for demonstrating their commitment to water efficiency through Water Corporation’s Waterwise Business Program. Throughout the year, the 269 businesses in the program saved a massive 12.9 billion litres of water, the equivalent of 5,733 Olympic swimming pools.

The retirement village and aged care site has also implemented a waterwise education program for staff and residents, inspects plumbing annually, and has an active leak reporting system to minimise water loss.

Since being introduced in 2007 to work with the State’s larger water-using businesses, the Waterwise Business Program has saved a massive 148 billion litres of water - equivalent to 148 Optus Stadiums full of drinking water. 

While four office buildings attained Gold Waterwise status in 2022-23, Workzone East, in Perth, was crowned Waterwise Building of the Year.

Constructed in 2013, the carbon neutral-certified building is home to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Its environmental and waterwise design helped save more than 1.1 million litres of water.

For more information, visit www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise/Waterwise-programs. 

Comments attributed to Water Minister Simone McGurk:

“Waterwise businesses and buildings are making an impact on water savings across Western Australia at a time when we are experiencing drier conditions and less rainfall to fill our dams.

“I congratulate the businesses and building managers for their efforts in leading innovative approaches to being waterwise.

Waterwise Business Program Recognition

Platinum Waterwise Business of the Year

Recognises a business that is a leader in water efficiency demonstrating best practice and innovation in water management for the 2022/23 Water Efficiency Management Plan (WEMP) reporting year. 

Gold Waterwise Business

Recognises outstanding commitment to the program by implementing a number of key water management actions in their WEMP and achieving a significant improvement in water use. 

Waterwise Building Program Recognitions Platinum

Waterwise Building of the Year

Awarded to a commercial office building that went above and beyond to deliver outstanding water sustainability outcomes and demonstrated best practice water use.

Gold Waterwise Buildings

Awarded to a commercial office building that has demonstrated best practice water management.

Janitha Kaushal, Senior Facilities Manager and Dianna Le, Associate Director, Asset Management Services, both from Frank Knight accept the award for Platinum Building of the Year