Summary

Envelope, - 'Important: Victorian Government Announcement'. Text on cover reads: 'Follow the five new permanent water saving rules'. This envelope was distributed to all households in Melbourne and was part of the 'Our Water, Our Future' campaign, which aimed to educate Victorians about strategies to ensure a sustainable water future for Melbourne.

The envelope has two parts:
1. 4-fold brochure entitled 'Permanent Water Saving Rules are now in Place'. The contents include a message from the Premier, Steve Bracks; the five key water saving rules; general exemptions; five facts about water; definitions; and a summary of the new rules in 10 languages.
2. A fridge magnet card entitled 'Follow the Five - Our Water Future New Permanent Water Saving Rules'. This provides a summary of the new water saving rules with a brief message from the Premier, Steve Bracks.

Physical Description

Low sheen paper envelope, front printed in blue with lettering in both red and white. Back is plain white with pale blue gummed flap, over printed in dark blue. Envelope has been sealed and opened. 4-fold brochure is printed dark & light blue on white. Fridge magnet card is printed in dark and light blue on white light card with 50 x 50 mm magnetic strip on back.

Significance

These items were collected during the Water Smart Home project and document the developing strategies used by the Victorian Government, water authorities, private industries and communities in confronting the emerging water crisis from 1995 to 2007. It captures the increasing urgency to address the growing imbalance between water supply and demand. It demonstrates a shift in government strategy away from an investment in major infrastructure to a campaign focused on behaviour change methods to reduce water consumption and secure Melbourne's water future.

An interesting feature of this material is the focus on gardening. Prior to water restrictions, Melbourne households used up to 50% of potable water for gardening - a significant focus of the public education campaign was therefore directed to this popular cultural activity and offered many ways to preserve this activity within the limits of Melbourne's water supply.

The Smart Water Fund was set up as part of the 'Our Water Our Future' campaign to support innovative water conservation projects, including Museum Victoria's Water Smart Home project. This material was collected as part of the Water Smart Home project. It shows how the 'Our Water Our Future' campaign infiltrated households in Melbourne, and documents the broader community messages and education strategies.

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