QA Forum

Question & Answer

We are discussing Water Saving - Every Drop Counts
With Aspi Baria, Michelle Walker and DEWR

Question:
Why is there no preventative laws or/and fines for watering gardens during the day in Alice Springs?

Answer:
Michelle - Many towns and cities across Australia are facing water shortages which have lead to a variety of measures being introduced by Governments in an attempt to conserve precious water resources. Most Capital cities in Australia now face varying degrees of water restrictions, which are enforceable by law and can lead to fines if people do not follow the appropriate watering regime.

For a variety of reasons, some towns and cities outside of the Northern Territory face greater water management challenges than those currently faced by Alice Springs. Alice Springs has a population of approximately 28,000 people, whereas the Capital cities have populations ranging from 1 million to over 3.5 million people. Such large numbers of people place a great pressure on water resources, and with population levels expected to increase, places an enormous importance on improving water use efficiency and conservation for the future.

This does not mean that water conservation is not an issue in Alice Springs; on the contrary, it is vitally important for residents of Central Australia to learn to conserve water. Our water resources are not unlimited and need to be protected to ensure future generations experience the great lifestyle currently granted to Central Australians.

Water restrictions are a particularly severe method of imposing water conservation measures on community members and are generally only used after other methods have been tried. Currently, government agencies and non-government organisations in Alice Springs are working together with the community to educate and encourage behavioural changes that will allow residents to become more water efficient, particularly in the garden.

Alice Springs residents, business and government agencies are in the unique position to learn from the experiences of other States. It is the responsibility of individual members of the community to ensure they learn about water conservation and act responsibly with water at all times to ensure that our valuable water resources last for the foreseeable future (~400 years) without the need for imposing water restrictions.

For more information on waterwise gardening in Alice Springs, see the following websites: