New Online Education Tool to Help Save Water

25 October 2007

Australia�s first online Water Education Resource Hub was launched today to help celebrate National Water Week. The Department of Water and Energy launched the Hub on behalf on the NSW Government�s inter-agency Metro Water Education Group, which also includes the Department of Environment and Climate Change, Sydney Catchment Authority and Sydney Water.

�This new online resource is designed to be a �one-stop-shop� for everything to do with water education,� said the Department�s Director-General, Mr Mark Duffy.

�It will save water by bringing together a huge range of tools and resources that anyone can use to educate the community, their work colleagues or friends on why and how to save water."

Resources available include:

fact sheets and tips that can be used straight away to educate others
the recently launched online Water Education Resources Directory, the �Yellow Pages� for water educators across the State
an online water events calendar and e-newsletters with the latest information on water conservation
links to research to enable a better understanding of community views regarding water
interactive activities to learn more about water and how it is used in and around the home
links to professional development and training.

�Research shows that around half of all Sydney-siders think that water is one of the most important issues facing our region today,� he said.

"Around 3.7 million people across Sydney have already taken action to save water in the past year, and more and more people are looking for ways to contribute to our water savings."

The new online Water Education Resource Hub is also a great place to start for anyone who wants information and advice on why and how to save water.

Mr Duffy said it was fitting that this innovative water education tool be launched at the start of National Water Week, which puts the spotlight on water conservation around Australia.

�National Water Week is a fantastic initiative to raise awareness of the need to protect and conserve our precious water resources."

�It�s an opportunity to showcase what communities, businesses, and governments are doing to improve the health our rivers, streams and aquifers, and save water,"Mr Duffy said.

The NSW Government has invested in a number of innovative water saving projects through its landmark Water for Life Education Program.

�Under the Water for Life banner we�ve:

delivered practical water saving projects involving the property sector, young adults, and people from non English speaking backgrounds
partnered with experienced teachers to develop much needed resources and training for school teachers
piloted an innovative water ambassadors program
run public information campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of saving water and major NSW Government initiatives to secure Sydney�s water supply
held the Water for Life Forum to bring together a network of water educators from across Sydney to share ideas and build new water education projects
produced a draft Action Plan for all Metropolitan Water Education for community consultation.

The new online Water Education Resource Hub is the newest Water for Life initiative and has the latest information on what the NSW Government is doing to secure Sydney�s water supplies."

To access the Hub, simply go to www.waterforlife.nsw.gov.au/education.