Rous County Council is putting residents of the Northern Rivers to the test by challenging households to take up the Water Night Challenge.
The Australia-wide water awareness event is being held during National Water Week, which is happening now.
The challenge of Water Night is to not use taps, showers or running water from midday to midnight on Thursday 21 October.
In line with the National Water Week’s theme of ‘Caring for water and Country’, Rous County Council has committed to planting ten trees for every registration to Water Night from within the Lismore, Ballina, Richmond Valley or Byron local government areas.
You can register for Water Night online at www.waternight.com.au.
Improve your water mindfulness
Rous County Council General Manager, Phillip Rudd, said Water Night is a unique opportunity for households to become more mindful of how often they use water. ‘We encourage all Northern Rivers residents to join us in turning the taps off on Water Night,’ he said.*
‘We believe that if we can become more aware of how often we reach for the tap and how subconscious this can be, it may offer a new perspective on how often we use water, where we use it and water wastage around the home.
‘Given the recent impact of the worst drought conditions in living memory, and the water demand forecast for the region for the next forty years, there is no better time than now to become more aware of our water usage in an effort to reduce,’ said Mr Rudd.
Are you leaking?
Water Night also provides households with an opportunity to check for leaks. Council encourages residents to turn the taps off and see if their water meter is still turning. If your water meter continues turning when all taps and water appliances are off, this could signal a leak that requires investigation.
Leaks can sneak up on households, becoming a potentially costly problem quickly, so checking regularly is essential.
‘We know that water sustainability and making every drop count is important to residents across our region,’ said Mr Rudd. ‘We know from our engagement for the Future Water Project that our community is strongly engaged in our water supply and its future security. We look forward to residents of the Northern Rivers joining us for Water Night.’
Rous County Council is working in association with Smart Approved WaterMark, Water Services Association of Australia, local schools, Councils, and event ambassador Costa Georgiadis.
The 2021 Water Night initiative is regionally supported by Rous County Council, Ballina Shire Council, Byron Shire Council, Lismore City Council and Richmond Valley Shire Council.
*On Water Night, using water for drinking, hand hygiene, COVID-safety and religious reasons are exempt.
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