Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I draw the House’s attention to an extremely exciting water-saving project that was launched recently for Blackburn Bowls Club, in my electorate of Deakin. The Blackburn Bowls Club have been operating their greens at Packenham Street in Blackburn for 40 years and they have seized the water-saving initiative at the local level and developed a water-saving model that truly leads by example. They have designed a bold water-saving model that not only aims to slash mains water use for its greens but has a long-term aim towards not using mains water at all. It is a plan that showcases what is possible in water-saving ideas at the local level and reflects the Rudd government’s belief that water saving begins in our own communities.

The entire Blackburn bowls community of 300-plus members has come together to get behind this project, with members generating $60,000 and project partners offering $40,000 of in-kind support. Mention must also be made of the efforts that have gone into fundraising and generating this financial support to get the project off the ground. Another $170,000 has come from the Smart Water Fund, which is a joint initiative between the Victorian government and Melbourne’s water companies to support small projects like this. I congratulate all involved, because this is as much a great example of community spirit as it is a triumph for smart water saving.

Importantly, Blackburn Bowls Club’s plan strives to implement permanent water-saving infrastructure, including an innovative subsurface Californian irrigation system, stormwater capture and underground storage. This allows the use of C-class water for irrigation of the turf, as the water is delivered to the root system of the grass rather than being sprayed over the top. They are also making the switch to an extremely drought resistant tifdwarf couch grass that will consolidate all of their water-saving plans and boost the playing capacity of their greens.

It is also a very well researched plan. They have drawn from experts in the field and conducted an intensive audit of their water consumption behaviour. They have identified places where water savings can be made. They have thought things through, dotted every i and crossed every t. They have even analysed average annual rainfall levels and the types of water-harvesting surfaces at their disposal, to develop a profile of rainwater resources and get a realistic sense of what they can achieve. From the 700 square metres of roof area and 3,500 square metres of grass and synthetic areas, the club estimates that 870,000 litres of run-off water can be collected each year. The water they do not need will be offered to other local users for use in the municipality in an act of real generosity and common concern. This project is a terrific mix of clever thinking, hard work, water saving and community spirit. I think it is a shining example of what can be achieved at a local level in water savings.

Blackburn Bowls Club also offer their facility for shared use to school, community and sporting groups, which use the club meeting rooms from time to time. The club also runs a very popular ‘night owls’ bowls program for nonmembers during summer evenings, and this has proven extremely popular with many locals, especially the younger generation. (Time expired)