Identifying Social Attitudes and Barriers to Water Conservation – A Community Water Survey

In April 2003 Eurobodalla Shire Council adopted its Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy (IWCMS). The strategy ultimately aims to combine all aspects of water management and treat the system as an interacting whole, optimising use of water while minimising impacts to the environment. Inherent in achieving this is the reduced demand on potable water through both reduced consumption and the use of alternative water sources such as rainwater tanks, greywater reuse and effluent recycling. The means identified to achieve these goals included public education and incentive schemes for specific water saving devices. An ongoing budget was subsequently allocated for both education and incentive programs to ensure IWCMS goals would be met. Incentive schemes for rainwater tanks, front loading washing machines and water efficient showerheads have been running since February 2005, with promotional and educational material developed to support these programs. Council has also run various education campaigns targeting water conservation since 1998, primarily as a reactive approach to drought conditions and increased water demand. Therefore there has been a lack of a “documented” strategic approach, adequate monitoring and evaluation and reporting of programs implemented. 

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