Mandurah crowned top waterwise council for second time

Andrea Sutton, Water Corporation's chair, with Mandurah's Senior Water Resources Officer, Dale Robinson, DWER Director General Alistair Jones and Casey Mihovilovich, CEO of the winning City of Mandurah 

• City of Mandurah named Waterwise Council of the Year
• 47 councils across WA now endorsed through Waterwise Council Program
• Wanneroo Aquamotion named Waterwise Aquatic Centre of the Year

The City of Mandurah and Wanneroo Aquamotion have taken top honours at the 2024 Waterwise Recognition Awards.

For the second time in seven years, the City of Mandurah has won Platinum Waterwise Council of the Year for its innovation and leadership in embedding waterwise principles into their operations.

Part of the Waterwise Council Program, this is a joint Water Corporation and Department of Water and Environmental Regulation initiative to encourage waterwise practices among local governments as we face climate change and declining rainfall across WA.

The City of Mandurah, which previously won in 2017, has in-depth oversight of its water use, leaks and trends through its in-house centralised digital metering system, informing its operational practices.

It has a new 10-year environmental strategy, uses recycled water on its transformed naturescape park, and held workshops to encourage residents to care for the 20 urban lakes within the city.

Throughout WA 47 councils are now endorsed through the Waterwise Councils Program, including the Shire of Northam which has newly achieved Gold status, and the cities of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and Vincent and shires of Merredin and Murray which marked 10 years in the program.

Participants in Water Corporation's Waterwise Aquatic Centre Program, created in partnership with the Leisure Institute of WA Aquatics (LIWA), were also celebrated at the event.

Endorsed in the program just five years ago, Wanneroo Aquamotion was crowned Waterwise Aquatic Centre of the Year. Aquamotion has focused on saving water through installing waterwise fittings, including water-saving drink fountains and top-rated sinks, showers, and toilets.

The programs also support the WA Government's Kep Katitjin-Gabi Kaadadjan (Waterwise Perth Action Plan 2) to establish leading waterwise communities for Boorloo (Perth) and Bindjareb (Peel) by 2030.

To find out more about the Waterwise Council and Aquatic Centre Programs, visit www.watercorporation.com.au/Waterwise/Waterwise-programs

Comments attributed to Water Minister Simone McGurk:

"The unseasonal warmer and drier weather reminds us it has never been more important for local governments to build climate-resilient and waterwise communities.

"Through the Waterwise Council and Aquatic Centre programs, local governments and recreation centres, with support from Water Corporation and the Department of Water and Environmental

Regulation, are saving millions of litres of water a year.

"The 57 waterwise aquatic centres in WA have collectively saved 1.59 billion litres of water since the program began - that's the equivalent of 707 Olympic sized swimming pools."

Waterwise Council Program Recognitions

Platinum Waterwise Council of the Year - Awarded to a Local Government Authority (LGA) demonstrating innovation and achievements over and above Gold requirements. To be eligible, the Local Government Authority must be an endorsed Gold Waterwise Council.

New Gold Waterwise Councils - Awarded to Local Government Authorities for demonstrating actions across all Water Sensitive City goal areas. 

Newly Endorsed Waterwise Council - Local Government Authorities that have met endorsement requirements.

Milestones

Waterwise Aquatic Centre Program

Platinum Waterwise Aquatic Centre of the Year - Awarded to the aquatic centre demonstrating innovation and achievements over and above Gold requirements.

Gold Waterwise Aquatic Centres - Awarded for demonstrating best practice water management in an Aquatic Centre. 

The Platinum Waterwise Aquatic Centre award was presented to Aquamotion facility specialist Daniel Webb, Cameron Pratt, team leader, and Rohan Klemm, acting Director Community and Place