Richard Wynne MP

The State Member for Richmond, Richard Wynne, today welcomed the decision of the Bracks Government to extend its program of rebates for water-saving products for a further year.

“The highly successful Water Smart Homes and Gardens Rebates scheme will now be available until June next year to help us all save water and money on our water bills,” Mr Wynne said.

“Consumers get a price rebate on water-saving products and save further on water bills.”

Since the program started in 2003, nearly 130,000 rebates have been claimed.

“The products purchased with rebates are saving more than one billion litres of water every year,” he said.

Products and services included in the Rebate scheme are:

•AAA shower roses – $10
•Dual flush toilet – $50
•Greywater system – $500
•Rainwater tanks – $150
•Water audit – $30
• Tank to toilet connection – $150
•$100 ‘basket’ of water saving goods, such as mulch, drip irrigation systems, tap timers, trigger nozzles, soil moisture and rain sensors for the garden or home – $30

Further information is available from any water retailer.

Victoria’s Environment Minister, John Thwaites, said Victoria was leading the way with a comprehensive plan to cope with climate change, to give Victoria water security for the next 50 years and to restore environmental flows to our great rivers.

“Victorians have responded with a great water saving effort. For example, water use in Melbourne in 2005 was 22 per cent less than the 1990s average,” he said.

Mr Thwaites urged people to get water saving products, information and advice from trained staff at any of the 60 accredited specialist Water Saver Garden Centres.