South East Queensland Councils will conduct random audits of up to 15% of the region’s largest water users under proposed ‘level 6’ water restrictions that will enter into force in mid-November.
Draft level 6 restrictions issued by the Queensland Water Commission (QWC) will see councils audit up to 15% of sites in the region that annually use more than 10 megalitres of water.
Council officers carrying out audits will be able to issue on the spot fines of up to $3,750 to businesses not fulfilling their water conservation obligations.
"We’re cracking down on water wasting businesses because its way past time they did their fair share," QWC Chair Elizabeth Nosworthy said.
The QWC says South East Queensland residents have dramatically cut their water use but many businesses in the region have not.
Under existing ‘level 5’ restrictions, businesses using more than10 megalitres a year were required to have developed water efficiency management plans (WEMPs) designed to achieve a 25% reduction or best practice in water use by October 30, 2008.
All businesses were to have lodged their WEMPs by July, but many have not yet done so. Many of the WEMPS that have been submitted “simply aren’t up to scratch”, Nosworthy said.
"An audit of a sample of 150 WEMPS found less than one fifth showed how they would make savings of 25%, while more than two thirds did not identify any water savings at all."
Sub-meters mandatory
The draft level 6 restrictions will also introduce a new requirement for large water users to report quarterly to their council on progress in fulfilling their WEMP commitments. They must also install sub-meters on supply lines for processes or equipment that use a significant amount of water by January 31, 2008.
Under level 5 restrictions large water users are already supposed to have installed water efficient taps and urinals.
Comment on the draft restrictions closes October 15. Level 6 restrictions will also involve some tightening of residential restrictions.
Draft Level 6 Package (Queensland Water Commission, September 2007)
