Sprinklers will be permanently switched off during winter from next year after the State Government today to retain this year’s trial sprinkler ban.
Yesterday’s decision follows a two-month trial ban during July and August, which Water Minister Graham Jacobs said saved about 2.2 billion litres of water, equivalent to filling 880 Olympic-sized pools and enough to supply towns the size of Manjimup or Collie for a year.
The permanent ban will apply from June 1 to August 31.
The trial ban – for most scheme users south of Kalbarri – was introduced after water usage earlier this winter was running at 800 million litres a day, 300 million litres above average.
Dr Jacobs said today that the ban saved 50 million litres a day, while an independent survey last month indicated 93 per cent of residents supported the move.
“This is an outstanding community achievement because while there has been reasonably consistent rain, we are still well below the long-term annual rainfall average,” Dr Jacobs said
Dams were now at 45.5 per cent of capacity, their second-highest level this decade. They are holding 19 per cent more water than the same time last year.
Water Corporation figures show rainfall in all but one of the catchments for dams supplying Perth are below their historical averages for the year-to-date.
Dr Jacobs said the exact area of the permanent ban, and any adverse impact for industry and local government users would still have to be worked out.
This would occur “soon”, and some areas that took part in the trial ban – which ran from Kalbarri to Esperance and east to Kalgoorlie-Boulder – could have a case to be excluded.
These users were asked to voluntarily stop using bores during the two-month ban period, while garden bore users were allowed to turn them on for maintenance reasons.
“A lot of people say garden bores are not pulling on the scheme, but we all realise our underground water resources are all related,” Dr Jacobs said last month.
Source : www.watoday.com.au
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Arthur Marshall selling his home in Mandaruh
Posted in Local News, Realestate and Home Loans, tagged $1.95 million, 10 years., airconditioning, alarm, architect, Arthur Marshall, back, balcony, bedrooms, best block, breathtaking water views., canal, canal home, Channel 9, city, dining, Dixie Marshall, double, dual water views, east, Elders Real Estate, ensuite, entertaining, estuary, every room, father, footy, former, grandkids walk, ground floor, guests, house, huge reserve, kick, kitchen, Local News, lock-up garage, Mandurah, master, move, newsreader, one-time, open-plan lounge, overlooking the canal., parking, politician, private jetty., Real Estate and Home Loans, second storey, selling, ship, sports commentator, T-junction, Tall windows, teenagers' retreat., tennis ace, three, TV, Uncategorized, Upstairs, visitor, walk-in robe, water view, west on May 24, 2009| Leave a Comment »
FORMER politician and tennis ace Arthur Marshall is selling his Mandurah canal home to move back to the city.
The one-time TV sports commentator and father of Channel 9 newsreader Dixie Marshall said his house of 10 years was “on the best block on the canal” because of its dual water views.
“From a canal’s point of view it is on what is called a T-junction. You look right, left and ahead and all you have are water views,” he said.
With an estuary to the west and the canal to the east, every room in the home has a water view.
Two studies, a bedroom and the open-plan lounge, dining and kitchen are on the ground floor.
Tall windows reach to the second storey, allowing breathtaking water views. A wide entertaining area leads to a private jetty.
There are three bedrooms upstairs, including the master with ensuite, walk-in robe and balcony overlooking the canal.
The other bedrooms have built-in robes and a shared main bathroom.
A lounge with a balcony makes it ideal for guests or a teenagers’ retreat.
“I asked the architect to make it feel like you were on a ship and when sitting in the lounge upstairs, it is just like it, with water everywhere,” Mr Marshall said.
The home has airconditioning, an alarm and double lock-up garage.
“One of the best things is the huge reserve next to the house,” Mr Marshall said. “Not only is it great to kick a footy with the grandkids and go for a walk, but it allows for plenty of visitor parking.”
72a Waterside Drive, Dudley Park
$1.95 million
Four-bedroom, two-bathroom canal home with water views, open-plan living area, upstairs lounge and private jetty.
Agent: Peter Lindsay 0429421942, Elders Real Estate Mandurah 95359111
www.news.com.au
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