Water Demand
According to the most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures, water consumption in Australia fell by 14% between 2000-01 and 2004-05 to 18,767 GL, largely due to the effects of the recent drought and water restrictions in many parts of the country.
Sydney
Sydney Water figures show that Greater Sydney is using the same amount of water now as in 1974, even though the city's population has grown by one million.
Daily per capita water use in Sydney has fallen from 506 L in 1990-91 to 342 L in 2004-05. The substantial decrease in demand is primarily due to stronger mandatory water restrictions, but also recycling and education campaigns.
Sydney Water's operating licence requires them to reduce demand for water to 329 L per person per day by 2011.
The Sydney Catchment Authority, which manages Sydney's drinking water storages, has estimated the sustainable yield of our dam storages to be 600,000 ML/year. Consumption during 2004-05 was below the sustainable yield level as can be seen in the graph below.
Total system releases since 1950 and population growth
Source: Sydney Water
It is estimated drinking water is essential for a mere nine per cent of total consumption, mainly drinking and personal hygiene.
The graph below shows how Sydney used its potable (drinking standard) water by sector in 2004/05.
Drinking water consumption by sector 2004/2005
Source: State of Environment report 2006
Approximately 70 per cent of the water piped into Sydney becomes waste water (sewer) which is minimally treated and discharged to the ocean. Only about two per cent is recycled.
It is critical to install and promote water efficiency and responsible localised supply options such as rainwater harvesting, groundwater, and recycled stormwater and wastewater.
City of Sydney LGA
Despite an overall net increase in the Sydney metropolitan area, total water consumption in the City of Sydney LGA has actually decreased in recent years.
In 2006/07, water usage within the City of Sydney area continued a decreasing annual trend to approximately 34,636 megalitres, or 96 megalitres a day.
More than two-thirds of the water consumed within the City of Sydney LGA is by commercial properties and residential flats. The remaining use is distributed between houses, industrial and other uses.
Consumption of water in residential dwellings differs between units and houses in the LGA, with unit dwellers consuming 168 kilolitres per property, and those residents in houses using 181 kilolitres per property.
Council
In 2006/2007, Council's water consumption accounted for about 1.4 per cent of total water use in the local govenment area.
The City has reviewed its largest sites to develop a Water Savings Action Plan (WSAP) which will save an estimated 72 megalitres of water each year at a cost of $198,000. In 2006/07, most of the measures identified in the plan have been implemented.
The City’s twelve largest sites in 2006 were Queen Victoria
Building (QVB), Cook + Phillip Park and Pool, Sydney Park
and Depot, Victoria Park and Pool, Hyde Park, Town Hall
House, Prince Alfred Park/Pool, 82-106 Oxford Street,
Customs House and the Capitol Theatre. These sites account for about 60 per cent of the
City’s total water usage.
The Queen Victoria Building is the only City owned asset consistently using more than 230 kilolitres per day. The second largest account is Cook + Phillip Aquatic Centre, which reduced its water consumption from 123 kilolitres per day in 2006 to 92 kilolitres in 2007.
The next largest water using accounts are Town Hall House and Hyde Park which each used 96 and 60 kilolitres respectively per day in 2007.
The City recently installed sub-metering to 16 fountains, to assess water usage. We have determined that our water features use approximately 15.1 megalitres each year, or 41 kilolitres per day which is equivalent to 3 per cent of the City’s total water usage.
It is interesting to note in the past 10 years, water consumption has increased in Council properties while it has reduced in parks. The top 20 accounts used 68 per cent of the total water consumed by 327 accounts held.
Last Updated: Monday 21 January, 2008