Summary

Leaflet - 'Compare you water usage', published by Yarra Valley Water, 2002. The leaflet was distributed to householders with their water bill. It promotes 'Great ways to save water in your home' and indicates the seasonal water storage levels from January 2000 to November 2002 when Stage One water restrictions were first introduced. Other text includes: 'We must all remain vigilant with our efforts to save water', and 'Refer to your account to compare your water usage'. A table documents 'Average daily water usage for domestic properties' across all of the municipalities within the Yarra Valley Water in 2001. This shows significant variation in water use across these suburbs, and across the seasons.

Physical Description

A4 sheet high gloss recycled paper, printed in dark blue on white. Printed post 11/02. Brochure is 6 fold paper with perforated panel to order water efficient products. Printed 2001.

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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